Malaysia: Bat Latiff – child star, dancer, choreographer
Hoodoo
May 5
http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/MM/Thursday/Entertainment/20050505100317/Article/index_html
AS a kid, living among the film community at Boon Teck Road,
Singapore, Mohamad Ali Haji Abdul Latiff earned the moniker of
‘Jebat’ for his naughty antics.
The name, given by the late A.R. Tompel, stuck, but was shortened
through the years, and the name Bat Latiff became familiar with
film-lovers then.
While Bat was more known for his role as Belalang in Nujum Pak
Belalang, directed by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee in 1959, his
resume was outstanding.
The eldest of three siblings, Bat was born in Changi, Singapore,
on June 10, 1951.
His father was a Bugis spice merchant while his mother, Mariam
Kembar, of Thai parentage, was an actress.
Bat, however, was always known to have been closer to his
grandmother Maimun Haris, and his aunt, the late Datin Saadiah
Baharom.
When his parents divorced, his mother married Rahim, the father
of veteran singer Rahimah Rahim.
Bat is also cousin of actress, host and singer Fauziah Ahmad
Daud, or Ogy.
He received his early education at Manorth School, before
completing his O Levels at the Toa Payoh Secondary School in
Singapore.
Bat’s entry into the film world began when he followed his aunt,
the late Saadiah, on location, carrying her make-up kit.
As luck would have it, Jamil Sulong was looking for child actors
for his film Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, and Bat aced the
auditions from 20 kids for the role of Pekan, the son of Neng
Yatimah’s character.
He then got a role in Singapura Dilanggar Todak at the tender age
of nine.
Working under the directorial advice of the late and great Tan
Sri P. Ramlee, Bat, in many interviews, recalled his bittersweet
experiences.
His numerous mistakes in a scene for Nujum Pak Belalang caused a
particular scene to be done eight times, only for him to be
called ‘stupid’ by the director.
But P. Ramlee was a doting ‘uncle’ to Bat as well.
Such experiences, however, paid off when it established him as
one of the leading child talents alongside Habibah and Tony
Castello in Anakku Sazali.
It also won him the Best Child Actor award at the 7th Asia
Pacific Film Festival in Tokyo in 1960. An honour which he
reclaimed in Taipei in 1964 for his role in Gerhana.
That same year, he got to act alongside his aunt, Saadiah, in a
Shaw Brothers production in Korban directed by Diresh Ghosh.
He also acted in Si Tanggang, Kasih Ibu, Seri Tanjung, Yatim
Mustafa, Wan Perkasa, Tun Perak and Mambang.
Satu Titik Garisan, a release from Cathay Keris in 1970, was the
last film he acted in at just the age of 21.
He attributed the end of his acting career to the closing of the
Jalan Ampas studio, which left him switching to his other love,
dancing.
He took up not just Western forms of the art, which included
ballet, but also basic Indian dance.
When he began his foray into dance, with A-Go-Go being the craze
among youths in the ’70s, he formed the dance group Bat Latiff
Junior.
Soon after, he made his move to Malaysia for good.
He had a group, the Bat Latiff Dancers, and also worked as
choreographer and freelance dancer for Radio Televisyen Malaysia
(RTM).
He even formed a kid’s pop group called Anak Anak Belalang in the
mid 90s.
Obtaining his citizenship in 2000, Bat, who was single, was said
to have been facing a myriad of health ailments including a weak
heart, high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes.
And last Tuesday, at about 3.15pm, Bat passed away in his home in
Desa Hillview Tower, Ampang Hulu Klang, Selangor.
His body was found in his home about four hours later by one of
his close acquaintances, Azizi Mohamad Said.
--
It's a big old goofy world. - John Prine