PROJECT High Council, a 2023 Malaysian school television drama series co-directed by Anwari Ashraf and Zulaikha Zakaria, caught the attention of many Malaysians and even our Parliament.
Fakhri and Naim are two brothers who have been separated since they were children and meet again at Kolej Ungku Deramat (Kudrat), a highly prestigious boarding school.
They both participated in a traditional competition called “Pilihanraya” (election), which was held in secret and supervised by the “High Council”. The winner of the ring will be considered the most powerful student in Kudrat.
Fakhri, a smart student, often involved in fights, was accepted into Kudrat.
However, when Fakhri unravelled the secrets behind the school’s tradition, he was a target of students who wanted to strengthen the “High Council” hierarchy.
Determined to stop all the injustice and abuse of power that occurs among students, Fakhri joins the “Pilihanraya” to determine the “Kapla” (leader).
He wants to stop ragging, bullying and gangsterism in the school, which has been going on for generations.
The one season of the 10-episode series, was a runaway success, staging young and new talents of more than 20 artistes. The script was developed in 2021 and the production started at the end of June 2022.
The series’ rating shot up to number one on the Astro platform and was scoring well in Indonesia and Brunei as well.
The film did raise the eyebrows of the Education Ministry, where some officers were fearful of the fact that the series might dent the enrolment intake in boarding schools.
They were also concerned that the existing students may emulate this “Kapla” concept in their schools.
Paya Besar MP Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah on March 28 raised a few pertinent questions in Parliament seeking clarifications from the education minister if such practices are common in our boarding schools and higher learning institutions.
He also added that this series is an eye opener for parents, students and the authorities as it portrayed the higher values one should put into practice to change the existing bullying and gangsterism prevalent among students.
My wife and I truly enjoyed the series, as we rarely switch into local dramas.
The directors Anwari Ashraf and Zulaika Zakaria have understood the expectations of the audience and have directed the movie in an insightful, absorbing, riveting and dazzling manner.
The production team led by Amirr Shahlen did a fantastic job on the settings where 70% of the series was shot in Negri Sembilan.
The school shots were those of Kolej Tuanku Jaafar, Mantin while the dormitory scenes took place at the old mental hospital near Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban.
The actual hospital scenes in the series were shot in Port Dickson. The rest of the shoot took place around the Klang Valley.
The cast, especially Naim played by Nadhir Nasar, Fakhri played by Mierul Aiman and Amir Manaf, who took on the “Kapla” character Kahar, were extremely well-acted.
These actors were prepped, trained and nurtured for three months.
Project High Council did remind me of Tan Sri P Ramlee’s way of telling a story where strong messages were conveyed in an entertaining yet subtle manner.
These series have brought about the importance of human values and takes the bull by its horns in bringing into focus a long-standing problem in boarding schools.
Kudos to the Astro Shaw team who has given a spectacular series for the benefit of every Malaysian especially students, the Education Ministry and institutes of higher learning. – The Vibes, April 9, 2023
The writer is a reader of The Vibes and a communication practitioner
