Rise: Ini Kalilah

June teams up with Australian journalist Marcus to cover the 2018 general election and to seek signs of irregularities. They move across Malaysia, gathering footage of vandalism, suspected vote tampering, and other anomalies. Their findings weave through the film’s multiple storylines, highlighting themes of power and accountability.

They investigate posters vandalism attributed to the opposition and rumors of manipulated ballots. They interview witnesses and collect footage that hints at deeper corrupt practices. The stakes rise as the campaign intensifies and questions of legitimacy take center stage.

Fizah, a Malay university student in the United Kingdom, balances study with part-time work as a waiter. After appearing in an election campaign video, a classmate urges her to return home to vote. Her decision draws her into Malaysia’s political drama and its consequences for her future.

Leong, a hot-tempered hawker in Singapore, travels back to Malaysia to cast his ballot. His cross-border journey underscores how voters outside Malaysia still participate in the election and shape its outcome. The path foregrounds personal stakes in national politics.

Corporal Azman grows disillusioned with the corruption surrounding the ruling coalition. While his colleagues accept bribes, Azman struggles to balance his moral compass with feeding his family. His internal conflict foreshadows a broader ethical battle within the system.

Shanti works as a Tamil primary school teacher and serves as a polling and counting agent on election day. She clashes with her father, who is skeptical of reform, and begins a romance with Leong. Her dual roles bring the personal costs and responsibilities of voting into sharp relief.

Shanti’s activism creates tension at home as father and daughter navigate change. The generational and ideological divides in her family mirror the wider national debate about reform.

Leong’s return to Malaysia to vote underscores the reach of the election beyond national borders. The personal dimension of his journey highlights how individual voters influence the political landscape.

Selva, a foreign worker agency owner, witnesses the exploitation of Bangladeshi migrant workers. His perspective adds a labor-right dimension to the political narrative, showing how migrant policy and voting intersect. The subplot deepens the film’s social critique.

On 9 May, the six storylines converge as irregularities surface. Shanti discovers officials turning a blind eye to non-citizens posing as voters, triggering alarm and urgency. The revelation puts the election’s legitimacy under intense scrutiny.

Fizah reaches her polling booth at 5pm but is told the deadline has closed. Under pressure from Shanti and June, officials relent and allow Fizah and other voters to cast their ballots. The moment demonstrates how civic activism can influence bureaucratic decisions in real time.

The climax centers on a driver attempting to flee with stolen ballot boxes, sparking a heated confrontation. Protesters and security personnel clash as the attempt is thwarted or interrupted, testing nerves and safety. The scene crystallizes the stakes of the polling process.

Azman intervenes, restraining a colleague who attacks participants. He chooses the safety of civilians over following corrupt orders. This act marks a personal turning point toward integrity and courage.

After the tension, stock footage of the election appears and Mahathir Mohamad addresses the nation. The sequence anchors the film in real political moment and signals the broader national significance.

June and Marcus also document Mahathir’s meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Nazri Shah at Istana Negara. The footage emphasizes the formal, ceremonial side of the transition and the return of political power.