Lay Jin Ong’s debut film Abang Adik revolves around two brothers who were not related by birth, but the love they shared was unconditional. Abang and Adik were distinctly dissimilar. While Abang was calm, collected, and morally upright, Adik was short-tempered, reactive, and dabbled in petty crimes. Through the heartfelt drama, Jin Ong addresses the plight of the undocumented population living in Malaysia. Abang and Adik had spent all their lives trying different ways and means to get their ID cards. While Abang had faith in the government procedure, Adik had lost hope, and he was convinced that buying fake IDs was the only way they could survive. There were days when Adik disappointed Abang, but even then, Abang never gave up on him and continued to support him until the very end.
Spoiler Alert
How did Abang and Adik become brothers?
Both Abang and Adik had grown up without parental figures, and from a young age, they had started to fend for themselves. Even after all the hardship, Abang had faith in the world, but Adik did not. He did not believe in promises, and he preferred to get things done on his own instead. Adik worked for a local gangster in the hopes of getting fake IDs. Abang was disappointed in his brother when he found out about the trouble Adik had gotten himself into. Adik wondered if Abang would give up on him after he broke his trust, but their friend and neighbor, Money, reassured him that Abang loved him regardless of the mistakes he made. At Money’s birthday party, Abang and Adik danced together; it was a gesture of forgiveness. Abang had nothing to look forward to in life—he was a deaf-mute man living in poverty, the girl he liked had left the country, and he did not have a family to fall back on. Adik was his only ray of hope and his reason to live. He had adopted Adik when he saw him crying by the side of the road. He was a little boy who was clueless about the world. Abang had made it his life’s mission to look after him and shower him with unconditional love. The friendship they shared kept him going, and he did not mind hustling as long as they both could live a happy life someday.
What led to Jia En’s death?
Abang had faith in Jia En, the social worker; he was convinced that she would find a way to help them get the IDs. But Adik did not trust her or anyone who closely worked for the system. Jia En was passionate about her job; she worked at an NGO and helped the unprivileged with their legal documentation. She had been in touch with Abang and Adik for quite some time, and she had promised to somehow help them. Jia En was elated when she learned about the whereabouts of Adik’s father. While Abang’s case was more complicated, she believed Adik would manage to get an ID based on his paternal roots.
Jia En stopped by Abang and Adik’s place to discuss the matter with the brothers. That morning, only Adik was present in the apartment. He was not interested in the solution Jia En offered. Adik was abandoned when he was a child, and he was not ready to forgive his father yet. Jia En suggested he visit the registration department with his father because it was the only way he could get an ID legally. Jia En had already spoken to Adik’s father, and he had promised to help, so she requested that Adik think about the matter more practically. But Adik was not ready to consider her suggestion. He despised his father, and he was repulsed by the idea of having to meet him. Adik lost control of his temper, and he grabbed hold of Jia En and attempted to push her out of the apartment. She complained that after all the hours she had spent to help his case, she was disappointed that he was not yet ready. She did not consider the emotional turmoil Adik was going through because she assessed the case from a rational point of view. It was the need of the hour, and she believed he had nothing to lose if he met his father once.
Adik was infuriated, and he pinned Jia En to the table. She struck him with an object and managed to free herself momentarily before Adik slapped her, and she dashed her head and bled to death. While it seemed that Adik was responsible for Jia En’s death, towards the end of Abang Adik, it is revealed that Abang was partially accountable. Adik sought Abang’s help after the incident. Abang entered the apartment alone, and he was puzzled upon seeing the blood on the floor. Jia En was still conscious, and maybe she would have been alive if Abang had not suffocated her to death. He was so afraid of getting caught that when his friend from work knocked at his door, he forcefully tried to silence Jia En, and it culminated in her demise.
Why did Abang confess to the murder?
Abang and Adik left their apartment with only their necessary belongings. They traveled to the countryside, and during a rest stop, Abang considered abandoning Adik. He got off the bus, hoping to leave Adik behind, but his brother ended up following him. They stayed at a hotel, and the next morning Abang was gone. Adik searched for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Adik assumed that his worst nightmare had come true—Abang had left him. Adik did not expect to see Abang on television. He was shocked to find out that his brother had confessed to Jia En’s murder. Abang did not give up on Adik; he instead ensured that his brother lived a free and safe life. Adik attempted to convince lawyers to take up Abang’s case, but because of the evidence and Abang’s confession, none of them were ready to take the risk. Adik wanted to confess, but Abang instructed him to remain silent. His only request to Adik was to meet his father and get the ID. Abang had lost all hope after the incident. He had spent all his life living in fear, and when he found out that Adik stood a chance to become a citizen legally, he thought it was worth sacrificing his life. Moreover, as an elder brother, he perhaps believed that it was his duty to always protect Adik at all costs.
How did the incident change Adik?
Adik believed he had been a great disappointment to Abang, and he decided to become a better man for his brother. He had to live not just for himself but also for Abang. Abang requested that he not visit him again, knowing that it would be all the more difficult for them to let go of each other. He hoped for Adik to become more responsible since he would no longer be around to look after him. The court sentenced Abang to death by hanging, and Adik found it exceedingly difficult to adjust to his new life. Even though he often broke down thinking about Abang, he was resolute in becoming the morally upright man his brother had always wanted him to be. He chopped off his golden locks and took up multiple jobs to stay afloat. He started living an honest life, just like Abang had always begged him to. Meanwhile, Abang started to starve himself after the sentence was announced. He was simply tired of living his life, and he became desperate to die. He thought life had been incredibly unfair to him, and he just wanted the pain to come to an end. The jailer and the priest managed to convey to Abang the idea that one must live their life properly as long as they are alive. Three days before the execution of his sentence, he asked to see Adik.
What does the final scene suggest?
Abang was proud of Adik when he met him in prison at the very end of Abang Adik. It was evident that Adik was trying his best to make an honest living. He even wore the shirt Abang had gifted him. Adik was emotional when Abang confessed that he missed him. He was glad that Abang was not disappointed in him anymore, and he added that he was working hard to make ends meet. He wanted Abang to know that he was taking care of himself and that he had nothing to worry about anymore. Abang had arranged for two hard-boiled eggs, and they performed a tradition that the brothers had come up with when they were young. Adik broke down, and with tears in his eyes, he stated that his only wish was to become Abang’s elder brother in their next life and protect him the way he always did.
In Abang Adik‘s ending, Adik walked into an eatery. It had been quite some time since Abang had passed away. Adik was once repulsed by the idea of ever meeting his father, but he respected and loved Abang enough to consider his suggestion. Abang was clear that he hoped Adik would one day meet his father to get his ID, and Adik kept his promise. We can assume that Adik will finally become a legally recognized citizen of Malaysia—it was Abang’s dream, but he was glad that at least his brother had a chance at a secure life. Abang and Adik’s story is heartbreaking, and a tad bit disappointing because the tragedy that unfolded was the aftermath of an avoidable mistake. But such is life, and the ending suggests that there remains a glimmer of hope for Adik.
