May 13

The date is 13 May 1969. Ani, a 23-year old special officer to the courts, is out watching a movie with her mother, Norma (50) in the old Rex cinema near Petaling Street. She needs the break as she has been disappointed by what her career in law has been like so far; she expected to be able to save the world, all she has to do now is to make copies of cases for distribution. Her brother Syah (27) has been left at home, while her father Shien (54), Chinese) is at home, tending to his mango plants.

Although a curfew has been put on the city, life is pretty much close to normal for most inhabitants, so nothing feels too ominous when the film suddenly cuts out. After a few catcalls, the audience feels restless. When one of them tries to open the door to ask the projectionist what is going, and finds out that it's barred from the outside, a feeling of tension sets into the cinema hall. One door is unlocked, and the crowd inside opens it in trepidation, to an unbearable scene outdoors...

As Ani walks out with her mother, she realises the hell that has befallen KL city. She and the rest of the cinema-goers are pressed into a funnel, a cordon of young Chinese men, who coldly and selectively pull out Malays - especially army recruits on leave - and proceed to beat them with sticks and metal bars. Ani and her mother back away from this scene, but the crowd behind them swells, and pushes them back again. Suddenly, an arm grabs Ani's hand and tugs at her from the crowd. "Come with me if you want to live."

Ani is dragged to the car park by Ming, a young boy of about 20-years old. Ani has no idea who he is, but given the chaos around them, there is no choice. She leads him to their car, and they get inside - but they can't move, given that the cars are hemmed in in the cinema car park. Still, waiting inside the car doesn't seem too bad an idea given the circumstances outside.

Until, that is, a metal bar crashes loudly on the bonnet of the car. A group of chinese youths, about 20-something in age, have peeled off from the cinema. They want this group to get out of the car, otherwise they'll force them out. Another swing, this time the windshield cracks. Ming winds down the window. He yells at the gang in Chinese. At this, the gang apologises and leaves the group alone.

Meanwhile, Syah at home is worried at the reports he is getting. First there were the anxious phone calls from relatives in Kampung Baru. Then rumours are abound. He begs for the neighbour to lend them a car, so he can look for his sister. Shien, is also not going to just stay at home. He goes back in the house first to get his trusted Lee Enfied. If it was good enough for the fight against the Communist, it's good enough for whatever waits for them in the city.

Ani and Ming agree that they have to get out of the parking lot. They cautiously step out of the car and walk down Petaling street. It's early dusk, but they can see eyes peering out of the second-story shophouses as they make their way down the street. Everyone can see the trouble they are in, nobody offers to help.

Suddenly, they are confronted by an eerie sight of a lone taxi driving down the road. Ming talks to the Chinese taxi driver who offers to take them home. The taxi chugs its way down the road towards Masjid Jamek, when they are confronted with another gang of youths, this time Malay, this time armed with makeshift weapons such as cangkul and kitchen choppers. At Ani's urging, the taxi guns its engine and accelerates at the youths, who suddenly jump to get out of the way. This doesn't stop some of them from swinging their weapons at the taxi as it drives by. A broken side mirror and tail lamp are souveniers from this round of attacks.

Syah and Shien actually observe this scene from a distance in their car. They make a sharp left turn away to avoid this group. They think the world has gone mad. They'll try to get to the Rex cinema the long way round.

The taxi drives out and even through the darkening light, they make out the shape of the parliament. Norma speaks to her daughter in Malay, asking what is going on in the city. Ani says she doesn't know. Suddenly the taxi stops. The driver turns and is shocked to find out that some of his passengers are Malay. He tells them to get out of the taxi now. He is obviously scared for his life.

The trio stand under the silhouette of the Parliament house, as the taxi chugs away again, leaving them alone. The street lamps mark the road and two options: to head on towards home in Damansara, or to turn back towards the city. Ani says, she knows of a police officer in charge of the Chow Kit station. They'll be able to get help there.

Brother and father are also now in Chow Kit. It is chaos. Fires are burning bright as all-out fighting happens around them. Syah and Shien argue as to whether they should stop to help those in trouble, or to carry on looking for Ani. Syah sees a chinese Man beating on a pregnant woman, enraging him. Shien tells his son that nothing can be done. A molotov cocktail bounces and bursts into flames on the top of the car, encouraging the decision to drive out of there as quickly as possible.

Ani, Ming and Norma are now reaching Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Although they know the youths were there earlier, they seem to have gone, encouraging them to walk down the street cautiously. All around them is evidence of rioting. They find the moaning body of a young malay boy, hardly seventeen, with a deep gash in his head and a parang still gripped in his right hand. Despite Ming's protests, Ani tries to tend to the boy. The boy, Firdaus, asks Ani to run, because there is still trouble about.

They are distracted by flickering lights in the distance. A crowd is on the prowl and is heading towards them. Ming encourages Ani to leave, but Ani won't leave Firdaus behind. Ming tries to encourage Norma to leave, but she won't leave her daughter behind either. Somebody in the crowd has spotted the trio. They move quicker towards them. As the crowd gets closer, Ani stands her ground.

Suddenly, something snaps in Ani. She steps forwards and shouts at them, daring them to try to do something. Aren't they satisfied how much damage they caused already? Ani says, she'll show them damage if they try to mess with her and her family.

The crowd slow down, and hesitate. Then one man steps out. What are you shouting for, he asks. We're Malay too... we'll take care of you.

Father and brother meantime have made their way to the old Rex cinema. The lights are out, but the scene is illuminated by sporadic fires. They slow down, looking out for Norma. Syah wants to call out her name, but Shien stops him. They don't want to attract attention to themselves. Brother says that father is chinese, so they shouldn't fear the chinese, right? Or maybe father doesn't trust the Malays, so that's why he's scared. Father and son argue.

Suddenly they hear a commotion, and they see a lone Chinese man struggling with a Malay lady, a parang in his right hand. He stops when he sees the car, and lets the lady slide to the ground, sobbing. Syah cannot control himself any longer, and he turns the car towards the Chinese man and accellerates towards him. At the last moment, Shien pulls on the handbrake, and the car skids to a stop, inches in front of the man.

But the man doesn't attack. In fact, he's trying to find help for the old Malay lady, and she was struggling with him, because she's distraught over her son's death. She herself is bleeding profuriously, and they put her in the back seat. He also says there are others around here that need help too. But don't help those with a red stripe down the arms - they were part of the attack on the cinema.

Attack on the cinema? Father and son look at each other. They run to the cinema to look through the bodies there.

Meanwhile, Ani, Norma and Ming are led to the old school next to the Padang Selangor. Ming walks in between Ani and Norma, and Ani tells him to keep close to her. He cryptically answers, haven't I always been?

When they get to the school they are brought up to the second floor. In the classroom where they are meant to sleep, Ani sees that the wall is lined with makeshift weapons, the blood off the edges staining the wall. Norma is exhausted, but Ani and Ming can't sleep.

They talk to each other. Ming admits he knows who Ani is - he works at the coffee shop near the courts, and she often walks by, but she doesn't stop to drink there. Ani admits it's because the place is non-halal, Ming says he guessed as much. But it was coincidence that his friends brought him to the same cinema, and he didn't know what for until too late.

There is a cut on Ming's arm. Ani wraps her handkerchief around it. They fall asleep in each others arms.

Dawn breaks. Ming goes down to wash his face at the taps, leaving Ani asleep upstairs. Coincidentially, Syah and Shien drive into the compound, after being told it was a safe-house. In the back seat, are many injured, Syah also gets out to wash up, and at the toilets he notices Ming. With Ani's handkerchief tied around his arm.

Meanwhile, Shien has found Ani and Norma, and is thankful that they're safe. As he is escorting them out, they see before them Syah and Ming in a full-scale fight.

Ming is getting the better of Syah, as they exchange blows, but then then Syah runs to the car. Run, coward! shouts Ming.

But Syah is getting the rifle. He aims the gun at Ming, as Ani runs to shield Ming. A shot goes off. Ming and Ani fall to the ground.

They look in each others eyes. Are you okay, they ask each other simultaneously. They turn to see Syah with the rifle in his hands, but Norma has grabbed the barrel and pointed it upwards, away from the couple. I've always told your father that's a dangerous thing to have around, she says.

In the aftermath of all this, the family all help victims in the riots, regardless of race. Ani quits her job with the courts to actively become a lawyer, specialising in cases of discrimination. Ming still works at the same coffee shop, but Ani is okay coming there for a cup of coffee from time to time. And the rifle is back at home now, hung on the wall. And bolted in for good measure.