Finally, after almost two months of keeping myself free at 10pm from Monday to Thursday, TV3’s drama series Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub, about a rogue Yang Berhormat, has come to an end.
YB Datuk Firzan was shot dead by his personal assistant, who gave birth to his son, whom he promised to marry but never did.
His two estranged sons beat him up while his young wife – his son’s girlfriend whom he literally kidnapped – joined in the assault before his fatal death.
Fans would have preferred the scheming politician to be arrested and handcuffed actually. The politician villain was brightly played by award-winning actor Datuk Rosyam Nor.
What captivated many Malaysians was the antagonist YB Datuk Firzan – narcissist, manipulator, liar, womaniser, drunkard, herpes-infected and, the worst of it all, a person who beats up women.
Rarely do we find a Malay television drama that feels more like a primetime series.
Most are tired, rehashed scripts of ghost comedies, gangsters or religiously preachy TV series.
But the 25-episode Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub has been an attention grabber.
Beyond its twists and emotional storytelling, the show has dared to bring into the living rooms mainstream Malay issues that have long been considered uncomfortable, controversial or simply unsuitable for conventional local television.
For decades, the formula for Malay television dramas has been largely familiar.
Family conflicts, romantic misunderstandings, corporate rivalries and moral redemption have dominated the landscape.
Difficult issues certainly existed, but they were often diluted, implied or wrapped in narratives that quickly restored the status quo.
Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub – which means “The Soul Of An Obsessive” – chooses a different path.
Instead of avoiding society’s darker realities, it places them at the centre of its narrative.
Adultery is portrayed not merely as scandal but as a catalyst that destroys families and trust.
Narcissism and manipulation are explored through characters who exploit emotions, relationships and power for personal gain, although playing the role of a politician helped make it easier, I guess.
Perhaps most notably, the series also presents an unmarried mother as a human being rather than simply a moral lesson.
In a television environment where such characters have often been reduced to stereotypes, this represents a more nuanced approach that acknowledges the complexity of people’s lives and choices.
The inclusion of a corrupt politician is equally significant.
Political corruption has appeared in Malaysian productions before, but it has rarely occupied such a prominent place in mainstream Malay primetime drama.
By depicting the abuse of public office alongside personal moral failings, the series reminds viewers that corruption is not only about money or power; it is ultimately about broken trust.
Taken individually, none of these subjects is entirely new.
Malay filmmakers, streaming platforms and independent productions have explored many of them over the years.
What makes Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub noteworthy is that they appear together in a TV3 primetime drama aimed at a broad national audience – although at a late hour – but that distinction matters.
Free-to-air television still reaches millions of Malaysians across generations.
Unlike streaming services, whose audiences actively choose niche or mature content, broadcast television has traditionally adopted a more cautious approach because of its wide demographic reach.
This has often resulted in stories that prioritise familiar formulas and clear moral boundaries over social complexity.
The willingness to move beyond those conventions suggests growing confidence that audiences are ready for stories reflecting real-world challenges rather than idealised versions of society.
Importantly, the series does not celebrate adultery, abuse or corruption.
Instead, it examines their consequences without the need for overemphasising the religious-moral parts.
It asks how manipulation flourishes, why victims remain trapped in toxic relationships and how charisma can mask deeply destructive personalities.
These are conversations that extend well beyond television drama.
The portrayal of narcissistic and manipulative behaviour is particularly timely.
Public understanding of emotional abuse, gaslighting and coercive control has expanded considerably in recent years, driven largely by mental health advocacy and greater awareness on social media.
Seeing these dynamics portrayed in a mainstream Malay drama may help viewers recognise similar patterns in real life, whether in families, workplaces or intimate relationships.
Some critics may argue that such themes risk sensationalism or undermine traditional values – based on some comments on Threads.
But stories have long served as mirrors of society.
If audiences can watch dramas about crime, illness or family tragedy, there is little reason why they cannot engage with narratives about domestic abuse, political corruption, manipulation or the realities faced by single mothers – provided these subjects are treated with care and responsibility.
What Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub demonstrates is that Malay television can be both commercially accessible and socially relevant.
It shows that audiences are capable of engaging with morally complex characters whose flaws cannot be neatly categorised as heroes or villains.
Perhaps that is its greatest contribution. It challenges the assumption that mainstream viewers only want “safe” stories.
Instead, it suggests they are willing to confront difficult questions about power, relationships, accountability and human behaviour.
If this TV3 series marks the beginning of a broader shift in Malaysian television, it should be welcomed.
Mature storytelling does not abandon cultural values.
Rather, it trusts that viewers are capable of reflecting on difficult realities while drawing their own moral conclusions.
In the end, Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub is significant not simply because it tells a compelling story.
It is significant because it expands the range of stories that mainstream Malay television is willing to tell. And in doing so, it opens the door for richer, braver and more authentic portrayals of Malaysian society.
National Journalism Laureate Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai is the chairman of Bernama. The views expressed here are solely the writer’s own.
Jiwa Seorang Pentaksub is available on iQiyi.
