Художник Россем сохраняет историю Малайзии в рисунках: от независимости до жизни в джунглях

Better known as Rossem, the 79-year-old has spent decades capturing moments like that on paper and canvas, drawing not only national figures but also scenes from everyday life before and after independence. “When we talk about independence, we can never forget Tunku Abdul Rahman because he is our Bapa Kemerdekaan,” Rossem told Bernama recently. “I feel the story of Merdeka would be incomplete if there were no images or visuals of Tunku.” For him, drawing has become a way of holding on to memories that might otherwise grow distant, especially for younger Malaysians who know much of the country’s early history only through books, photographs or screens. Not all of Rossem’s subjects are grand moments or famous personalities. One of the scenes he remembers clearly is the old ferry service across Sungai Binjai in Selangor, once an important link for local communities before roads and bridges transformed the area. “Back then, the only way to get across the river was by ferry. Cars took the ferry, and buses did, too,” he said. “After independence, things started to change as the roads and facilities improved.” Those ordinary details matter to Rossem because they show how daily life has changed alongside the country itself. A ferry crossing, a road or a familiar village scene can say as much about an era as a formal historical event. Born in 1948, Rossem also draws from experiences that were far less peaceful. He joined the police force in 1969 and spent about eight years with the Police Field Force, now known as the General Operations Force, including operations in the jungle during the communist insurgency. “I put my experiences in the jungle, tracking the enemy and living under the threat of danger onto canvas,” he said. “My works are not simply from imagination, but from what I actually went through.” Those memories gave his drawings another dimension, reflecting a period when independence had already been achieved but the work of maintaining security was far from over. A life told in sketches More than 700 of Rossem’s works are now housed at the Rossem Cartoon Gallery, which opened in 2014. The collection ranges across independence, history and culture, along with portraits and caricatures of Malaysian prime ministers from Tunku Abdul Rahman onwards. Rossem also spent years producing forensic and courtroom sketches, and between 1978 and 1993 created the satirical comic character “Constable Jabit” for a newspaper. Across all those different forms, the thread remains the same: observing people, places and moments closely enough to turn them into something that can be remembered. Now in his later years, Rossem sees his collection as a bridge between generations. Younger Malaysians may not remember ferries crossing Sungai Binjai or the years when security forces were still confronting communist insurgents. But drawings can make those periods feel a little less distant. “For me, independence is more than just a date or a cry of ‘Merdeka’. It is a long journey, from the hardships of the people before 1957 and the sacrifices made to safeguard peace, to the progress we enjoy today,” he said. That may be why his work feels especially relevant during National Month. Long after the speeches and celebrations are over, Rossem’s drawings remain as small windows into the people, places and experiences that helped shape the Malaysia he remembers. Rossem Cartoon Gallery 1915, D10, Kampung Peringat, 16450 Ketereh, Kelantan Contact: 011-1098 3707