Success story: (From left) TAR UMT president Prof Datuk Dr Lee Sze Wei, film director Mark Lee, Chan and TAR UMT Faculty of Communications and Creative Industries dean Dearna Kee June Chen at the soft launch of ‘The Story of TARCians’ at TAR UMT, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: A docudrama about the birth of Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) and the challenges faced by its founders has generated intense interest from the public, says Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
Chan, who is the chairman of Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology’s (TAR UMT) board of governors, said the documentary titled The Story of TARCians has got TARCians young and old all excited to watch the full-fledged film – the first to be produced by a local higher education institution.
“We are proud of our heritage, more so as we are proud of this institution’s foundation that unites us together as TARCians,” he said during the soft launch of the documentary at the TAR UMT Kuala Lumpur campus yesterday.
Chan said the documentary, slated to premiere on Dec 2, not only tells the story about the institution’s challenges and struggles, but also the determination and commitment of its founders “who laid the solid foundation of this institution”.
At the same time, he said the film showcases the stories of the pioneer groups of TARCians who went on to become part of the institution’s history.
“For the older generation of TARCians here today, including myself who studied in TARC 50 years ago, this is our story to tell.
“For the younger generation of TARCians, this is a story of valuable lessons that you can learn from.
“All of us are excited over this film as it is about the common denominator that binds us together as TARCians – our beloved alma mater, TAR UMT,” he said.
Chan, who is also TAR UMT Alumni Council chairman, said the council partially funded the project.
“On this note, I would like to express my gratitude to all the alumni bodies of TAR UMT for continuously upholding the TARCian spirit in contributing back to our alma mater,” he said.
Produced by the university and spearheaded by the Alumni Council, The Story of TARCians tells a heartwarming story about how three Malaysians obtained tertiary education and the history of the notable local higher education institution.
Weaving fiction and history together, it also features alumni who came to TARC in the 1970s and 1980s sharing about their experience seeking a brighter future through higher education back then.
The project was launched on Oct 11, 2023, with filming beginning on Jan 15.
The 90-minute film dives into the early days before TARC was established by exploring the emotions, challenges and obstacles faced by its founders and stakeholders.
The film is directed by award-winning director Mark Lee See Teck, and will be screened nationwide, other than private screenings for TAR UMT staff and students on campus.
