Jins Shamsuddin

Mohamed Zain "Jins" Shamsuddin (Jawi: محمد زين بن شمس الدين) (5 November 1935 – 1 March 2017) was a Malaysian film actor, director, politician, writer and producer.

Early life and film career Mohamed Jins was born in Taiping, Perak on 5 November 1935. He went to SMK King Edward VII Taiping, Perak and he completed his Senior Cambridge exams in 1956, hoping to continue his studies at the University of Malaya in Singapore (currently the National University of Singapore). His hopes were dashed when the university's admission officer said that they would "keep his application in view". His great-uncle, who was a teacher at the prestigious Anderson School in Ipoh, however managed to apply for a place to study electrical engineering in England three months into the deadline. Jins would use this spare time to take nightly English courses while he stayed with a relative who was the director for Radio Malaysia's education wing.

He had pursued his studies in the London Film School from 1970 to 1972, obtaining his Diploma in Motion Picture Technology and graduated with first class honours. The film eventually went under a restoration project by KRU Studios in 2014.

For much of his life, Jins was interested in making a film about the events that led to the assassination of the British official J.W.W. Birch in Perak in 1875. A newspaper report indicated that he had begun work on such a film in 1992, but it was not completed. In 2004, Jins announced plans to make an epic English-language film entitled The King of the River: Pasir Salak, though the project was ultimately never realized. Even five years later in 2009, Jins expressed his eagerness for the project that he considered his lifelong ambition, saying "I hope to complete my movie on the historical events that happened in Pasir Salak before I die."

Political career On 13 October 2004, he became the first actor-politician in Malaysia following his appointment as a member of the Dewan Negara in the 11th Parliament of Malaysia. He was reappointed again as a Senator for a second term from 12 February 2008 until 11 February 2011.

Personal life Jins was first married to actress Rahmah Rahmat in Singapore in 1961, from which their marriage bore a son named Jeffry Jins. Their marriage however was short-lived, eventually divorcing in 1963. In 1986, he married Halijah Abdullah. They had two children together, Putera Hang Jebat and Putera Hang Nadim.

Death Jins died at 5:45 pm at a clinic in Taman Melawati after choking on cekodok on Wednesday, 1 March 2017 at the age of 81, as confirmed by his second son Putera Hang Nadim.

Honours and awards

Filmography

Film

Television series Year Title Role TV channel Notes1993 Roda Roda Kotaraya Supt Rahman TV1 2004–2005 Masih Ada Cinta Zahran TV3 2005 Mahligai Gading Tan Sri SuffianTV1 2007 Dinasti Bilut Tan Sri Mustafa 2008 Roda-Roda Kuala Lumpur (Season 2) TV2 Special appearance 2011 Tahajjud Cinta Tan Sri TV3

Telemovie Year Title Role TV channel Notes 1991 Wawasan TV1 1993 Ianya.... Anugerah TV3 As director