Sasterawan Negara : Baha Zain

I had the opportunity to interview the recently elected Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate). He shares his views on the Malaysian literature scene and The Malaysian National Language. This article appeared in theSun newspaper on Wednesday April 3. Here is the full article.   

Writing for unity
By Bissme S 

DATUK Baharuddin Zainal, better known as Baha Zain, was recently honoured as the 12th Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate). Prior to this, the 74-year-old poet, short story writer and literary critic has been the recipient of such prestigious awards as the SEA (Southeast Asia) Writer Awards in 1980 and the Anugerah Penyair Gapena (The Federation of Malaysian National Writers Associations Poet Award) in 1988.
In this exclusive interview, Baha Zain talks about the recognition bestowed upon him, the literary scene in the country today and what inspired him to become a writer.

* What was your first reaction on being named Sasterawan Negara?

"I was grateful to God. My generation is different from yours. All we wanted to do was to contribute without expecting anything in return. We wanted to enrich the national language and the Malay literary scene. However, if the title was given to me five years ago, I would have rejected it.”

* Why is that? 

“I was against the PPSMI (the teaching of Science and Maths in English). I am not against the English language. If I was, I would not have sent my three children to further their studies in England. 
“I just want to develop the Malay language as a language of knowledge. If you do not teach Science and Maths in Malay, how do you expect the language to be developed as the language of knowledge?  
“Japan and Korea are so much more advanced than us and yet they do not teach Science and Maths in English. If you want Malaysian students to master the English language, this is not the way. 
“I’m happy to see the government has decided to have Science and Maths taught in Malay, again. 
“I will not deny that a lot of scientific terms in Malay are borrowed words. But even in English, there are many borrowed words from the French and German language. There is nothing wrong in enriching the vocabulary by borrowing words.”  

* No women writers have won the Sasterawan Negara title. Do you think there is a Malay male dominion for the award?  

“I was on the selection panel for the candidates for this award for several years. We did not base our selection on gender or race. We looked for candidates who have contributed significantly not only towards the development of the language and literacy but also towards society.   
“For example, Keris Mas, Arena Wati, Usman Awang, and A. Samad Said were journalists who fought for independence through their pen. 
“They should not be spending all their time in the library, living in their own world and forgetting about the society around them. They should be socially-committed writers. They cannot just write about nostalgia. Their works should spark critical thinking. As a writer, you need to be connected with the society. You write because you want to express yourself.”

*Some people think you do not deserve this title. What are your comments?    

“I can be equally cynical and hit back at my critics but I will not do so. It can be counter-productive. In Islam, you are encouraged to be patient. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.”   

*What changes would you like to see taking place in the Malay literature scene?  

“We should find ways to incorporate more non-Malays in the Malay literature scene. The national language is no longer the language for Malays. I am happy to see that Karim Raslan (who usually writes in English) is now contributing to Dewan Sastera (a leading Malay literary magazine). 
“In the 70s, there were conscious efforts among artistes of different races to use the national language in literature to cut across the racial barrier. If you read Dewan Sastera in those days, you will find many non-Malay artistes like Krishen Jit and Redza Piyadasa contributing articles in Malay. In fact, a handful of non-Malay artistes have translated my poems into visual form. But today, I see less of such collaborations between artistes of different races.”  

*Why do you think there were more collaborations between artistes of different races back then?   

“The May 13 incident (1969) just took place, with the whole nation confronted with the tragedy. Artistes of all kinds, from writers to painters, believed they should come together and use their art to promote unity … to understand each other. Today, we have taken our peace for granted. What’s happened in Lahad Datu (Sabah) recently could be a wake-up call to teach us not to take anything for granted.”   

* What do you see lacking in our society today? 

“Our moral and ethical development are not on par with our physical and economical development. For example, we will not think twice about throwing rubbish on the road, polluting rivers, cutting down trees that provide oxygen, etc.” 

*What inspired you to become a writer?  

“I was born in 1939. I have lived through the traumatic times in our history – from the Japanese Occupation to the communist and Emergency period, right through the racial riot of May 13, 1969. 
“I had experienced eating rice only with potatoes and bananas. I did not have running water in my house. Poverty was everywhere. 
“I wanted to write about these difficult times to create an awareness. I wanted to tell people not to take our peace for granted and be grateful for what they have today. 
“But today is not the era of literature. People do not give importance to literature – they are too busy chasing wealth. One must remember that ultimately, it was literature that made us human.”

Helmy Samad On A Samad Said

The story appeared in the sun newspaper in conjunction with father's day. I highlighted the story of writer cum publisher  Helmy Samad talks about his father National Laureate A Samad Said. The story published on Monday June 25, 2012 

Headline : On being the son of a living legend

WRITER-publisher Helmy Samad can talk to his father about anything – including his love life.That's how he describes his relationship with his father, National Laureate A. Samad Said.

"He knew who all my girlfriends were," adds Helmy, the second of five children in the family.

Last year, when his marriage was on the rocks, Helmy instinctively turned to his 77-year-old father for advice. "My dad only said one thing to me: 'Jadi anak jantan (be a man)'," he recalls. 

Now, at 48, Helmy is a single parent to two boys – Muhamad Firdaus, 23, who is pursuing a Master's degree in Mass Communications, and five-year-old Ali.

"My eldest son and my father have different ideologies and they can debate for hours," Helmy says. 

"But my father doesn't mind the difference of opinions between them. He feel it's better for his grandson to have a stand in life than to have none at all."      

One virtue that Helmy's father taught him is kindness and now he is instilling this value in his sons.

"These days, people believe that kindness is a mark of a loser," says Helmy. "But some of the greatest people in history displayed kindness and one of them was Mahatma Gandhi."

"It's not easy to be kind," he adds. 

Helmy also points out that his father never scolded his children in public.Recalling an incident which occurred in his childhood, Helmy says his neighbour had caught him smoking with his friends. When the neighbour complained about it to his dad, Samad had said: "So what?"

"My neighbour went away feeling embarrassed but I got a two-hour lecture from my dad. The point was that he didn't want to embarrass me in front of the neighbour."

When he and his siblings were young, his father also instilled in them a love for the arts by encouraging them to draw and paint.

"If he liked one of our paintings, he would buy it at 50 sen or so. That reward created some kind of excitement in us and also healthy competition between me and my siblings."

Ten years ago, Helmy gave up his lucrative career as a computer programmer to follow in his eminent father's footsteps. He became a writer. 

"My father discouraged me [from becoming a writer] and he kept telling me that a writer's life is a hard life," he says. 

"But at the same time, he gave me books to read to broaden my horizon."  

When some of his short stories were published, there were some critics who began to compare his writings with that of his father's.

Helmy became frustrated at one point and even quit writing for a while.

"I was just starting out as a writer and to make that kind of comparison was unfair," he says. "I believe my writing style is different from my father's."

But his dad advised him to continue writing. "He told me that it's only natural that people will compare me to him and with other writers."   

Last year, Helmy finally went back to writing and even started a publishing company, Wira Bukit Sdn Bhd, which mainly publishes his father's books.

"But my father and I are lousy businessmen," he says, laughing.

"We like giving away books because we want to encourage reading among Malaysians. But then giving them away for free is not good for business."

To date, Helmy has written three novels which have yet to be published.  

"I'm more mature now to handle any comparisons that critics may make between my literary works and my father's," he says.  

Of late, his dad had been making headlines for taking part in the recent Bersih 3.0 protests and some quarters had even accused him of creating trouble in the country.

Helmy begs to differ, saying: "Like all peace-loving citizens, my dad was merely pressing for fair elections and seeking an end to corruption.

"My father has always fought against injustice. If he sees something is wrong, he would speak out."  

Although Helmy admires his father's courage, he fears for his safety.

"My father lives a simple life and moves around freely ... it's easy for someone to harm him. I've voiced out my concerns but dad says life and death is in God's hands." 

DATUK DR AHMAD KAMAL ABDULLAH

The interview with the latest national laureate Dr Ahmad Kamal Abdullah or better known as Kemala appeared in the Sun newspaper on July 1, 2011.

Title Enriching literature

DATUK DR AHMAD KAMAL ABDULLAH was recently announced the 11th Sasterawan Negara (national laureate). The 70-year-old poet and writer of short stories, known by the pen name Kemala, has had his work translated into eight languages. The author of Titir Zikir and Pelabuhan Putih tells BISSME S. about taking literature to
greater heights.

What was your first reaction on winning the Sasterawan Negara award?


When a friend of mine first sent me a text that I had been given the award, I thought he was pulling my leg. In the preceding months, the media had been highlighting that 10 men had won the title and that it was the right time to
give it to a woman. So I was surprised when I found out.

Some say female writers have not produced work to qualify for the award.


I disagree; two names immediately come to mind – Dr Fatimah Busu and Dr Zuriana
Hassan. The themes they talked about in their work are very mature and have international appeal. In fact, there are a few non-Malays writers who write in the language such as Lim Swee Tin, who can be considered for this
honour.

There is a belief that there is Malay male domination over the award.

I don’t think there is any kind of dominationor monopoly over the award. Let us not
politicise Sasterawan Negara by bringing in race and gender. Let us give the panel the freedom to select the right candidates for the title. Let us just look at the candidate for his contributions to literature. When the time is
right, a woman and a non-Malay will get the award.

What is your opinion of the development of Bahasa Melayu in the country?

Grammatically, the language is getting weaker. We like to mix Malay with other
languages. Same goes with English. The use of the English Language is also deteriorating in the same way.

Some see English as a colonial language.

People who hold this kind of thought do not value knowledge. The Quran has always
encouraged us to enhance our knowledge, and mastering different languages is one way of doing that. Some Indonesian intellectuals and politicians know more than eight languages. They don’t see mastering different languages as a bad thing. So why should we?

Is it true to say that today’s youngsters are not interested in serious literature?

Yes, they are more into pop culture. Electronic media pushes them in that
direction. If we want serious literature to be popular among youngsters, then our
education system must emphasise it. Serious literature should be
taught from kindergarten.I remember during my school days, we had weekly literature competitions and literary clubs. My friends and I recited poems at these competitions. All these efforts, indirectly, created a love of literature in
us.
In the old days too, when a friend had a birthday, we would make up poems and
recite them as a birthday gift. But now all we do is walk into a
shop and get a greeting card.
In the 60s, a handful of poets and writers got together in Puan Azah Aziz ’s house – she is a culturist who promotes Malay tradition and culture – with an adviser from the Education Ministry.
We brainstormed ideas and even produced a poetry book targeted at children. But we no longer do that sort of thing. Schools could also arrange a meeting
between the Sasterawan Negara and their students.
There could be creative ideas exchanged. The students would likely treasure
moments like these and remember them. The media can also play a role in making serious literature popular among youngsters.

What kind of a role can the media play?

Maybe carry interviews with serious literary figures on ad hoc basis – perhaps once in three months, or better still monthly. This will create more awareness of serious literature.

What is your opinion of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP)?

The government should give serious attention to making DBP a powerful institution, not only for serious Malay literature, but also for serious literature in any
language produced in this country.
DBP should take on the task of translating serious Malaysian literature of different
languages into Bahasa Malaysia. I would like to read what Malaysian Chinese and Indian writers are writing about our country and about us, as Malaysians. The same principle should apply to all native languages in this country. If there
is a book written in Kadazan, then DBP should translate that too.
It could even create an award for Malaysian literature initially produced in different languages. That will encourage more to write in different languages.
DBP should organise solid writing programmes for youngsters in order to produce a new generation of writers who writes serious literature. I expressed this idea to DBP a long time ago and they were keen on it, but I have not seen them acting on making it a reality.
Our themes in serious literature should be broader. In the past, our literature
centred on the survival of the Malays because it was relevant to the times. But now
the survival of Malaysia should be our theme. We should also focus on the lives of the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak to give our literature a wider appeal. But of late, I have seen some positive changes slowly taking place in DBP.

Many Japanese, Indian and Chinese novels have been translated into English and sold worldwide. Do you think Malay literature has the substance to appeal globally

One novel that comes to mind is Shahnon Ahmad’s Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan. But to make a mark globally, having a great theme is not enough. We need to promote the book as well and our promotion is very weak. The terrible thing is that the Malaysian authorities do not give any support to promoting Malaysian literature outside of our country, and I am speaking from experience.
Last April, an Indonesian organiser was promoting two of my poetry books in Jakarta
and I was there for the launch. I had made a polite request to the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta to send at least one of their representatives to the launch to show some support – it would have been great to have someone official from the Malaysian government representing Malaysian literature launched overseas – but no one turned up. I must admit I was a little embarrassed and upset.
(Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan was made into a Cambodian film entitled Rice People in 1994. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was submitted for the 67th Academy Awards. It was the first time a Cambodian film had been submitted as a possible nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.)

What is the biggest change you would like to see in Malaysia?

I live in a multiracial neighbourhood. My neighbour on my left is an Indian and on my right, a Chinese. We get along very well. I want to see more truthful unity among
the races. At this moment, I must say our unity is very artificial. Our tolerance for each other is artificial too. We don’t sit down and sincerely discuss the problems affecting us as Malaysians. We suppress our emotions and real problems and that is not very healthy.

Did anyone inspire you to be a writer?

My mother and my wife. Both these women played an important role in my life. My mother loved reciting poems and telling me folk stories when I was young. She was the first person who exposed me to the world of literature. One of
my fondest memory of my mother was during the fasting month. She and I would go the
nearby forest to find pucuk paku to make nasi ulam.
My wife is my fierce and honest critic. She will tell me honestly when my work is good and when it is not. She gives me constructive criticism so I can better my work.

You have been married 47 years. What is the secret to a lasting marriage?

When she is angry, I will keep quiet, and when I am angry, she will keep quiet. When her anger gets too much for me, I will just leave the house (laughs)

A Samad Said

A National Laureate talks his his frustration over the scenario that is taking place in the local serious literature scene. The article appeared in the sun newspaper in Marc 6 2008

Suggested Headline : Malay lit under threat

National Laureate Abdul Samad Muhammad Said, better known as A. Samad Said, has 65 books to his credit, from short stories to poetry. His popular novels include Salina, Hujan Pagi, Cinta Fansuri and Langit Petang. The state of serious Malay literature in the country, however, makes the writer sad, angry, and frustrated. He tells Bissme S. he has given up all hope of it getting the recognition and support it deserves.

What is the biggest challenge you face as a Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate)?
To get real recognition, to have all your work accepted, especially in school. As a writer, you usually want your books to be accessible to students, who will be your audience in the future.

There was recently a news report that two years from now, books by national laureates would not be included in the school curriculum. What is your opinion on this matter?
Some clever guys in the Education Ministry have said Sasterawan Negara books shouldn’t be included in school because they are difficult. During my school days, we studied William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, John Buchan’s The 39 Steps and Lord Byron. They were hard. But we had good teachers as intermediaries ... to help us understand the text. When you are 18 or 19, you already know these famous literature figures.

So you don’t agree with the move?
I think what they are doing is insulting. Usman Awang, Keris Mas and Shanon Ahmad have been writing for almost 50 years.You cannot just say all the work of Sasterawan Negara are difficult. There are bound to be one or two books that are suitable.
You can say my poem Al-Amin is very difficult. But I have another poem Kita Ini Tetamu Singgah, which has been made a song. That poem is easy.You must have teachers to help you understand the text, so you have some knowledge of good literature.
When Anwar Ibrahim was the Education Minister, and then when he was Finance Minister, he took care of this. He respected literature. He remembered writers. He even sent me books ... good books ... to read. He would invite Sasterawan Negara to read poems and their work for his office functions. This is rarely done now.
He even invited W.S. Rendra from Indonesia to read poems for his functions. He encouraged reading.
Even in Tun (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad)’s time, he sent me books. He wrote "Samad, you should read this." They (Mahathir and Anwar) created situations where you love literature, where you loved writers.

Do you think these situations no longer exist?
Yes. It is very clear from what they are doing.

Some people say you’re angry because you’ll get less in royalties when your books are not used in schools.
I am 72 now. I don’t need a lot to survive on. I just need a small amount of money. I don’t even have a car. So I don’t have to worry about petrol and road tax. It is not about royalties. I don’t mind that they don’t want to use my books.

So you believe fewer youth will develop the reading habit as a result of the move?
Yes. With the help of the Education Ministry, this will happen. Just think of these students two decades from now. They are not exposed to good literature.
If you start saying the work of Sasterawan Negara are difficult at school level, then don’t expect them to touch these books when they leave school. You are sending out a clear message - do not read the work of Sasterawan Negara. Everything should start in school. We are not creating a situation where people will read good literature.
In America the students are studying To Kill A Mocking Bird, and in England they go for Lord Of The Flies. All are difficult books. If you want simple books, then just read ABC all the time.

Are you sad at the situation?
I used to be. But not anymore. I am angry now. They should be respecting Sasterawan Negara. But they are not.

What is your hope for serious Malay literature? What changes would you like to see the government make?
I don’t want to visualise anything anymore. I have no more hope. I will leave the situation the way it is. There is a small group of people in the ministry who are so clever, let them go on being clever. If they want it like that, let it be. I want to make them happy.

It appears that you have given up?
Yes. I have given up. I am sick of it. I don’t care any more. I am defeated.

What is your view of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP)?
They have no tongue. (Writers association) Gapena (Gabungan Penulis Nasional) has no tongue now. They have not shown any reaction to this school situation. Their silence shows that they agree with what the ministry is doing.

The last time we spoke, you said you were trying to get from DBP the copyright for your books so you can publish your own books. Did you succeed?
Not all. They have given me the rights to 12 books, but not to seven others ... the most important ones ... the ones I want.
DBP always says the work of Sasterawan Negara is difficult to sell. When you ask for your copyright, they don’t want to give it to you.
I think it is the right time to give me the rights to all my books. What is the point of keeping the copyright for my books if people are not interested in reading them?

Is it your opinion that we do not appreciate Malaysia’s literature figures?
I believe so. I have just returned from Korea after attending an Asia Africa Literary Festival. I was there for nine days. It was wonderful to see how they loved books and writers.
There was a special segment on me on TV. I was so inspired that I have written 68 poems and will compile them into a book called Soneta Pohon Ginkgo (available in the market in April).
My poems were recently translated into Bangla and launched in Bangladesh. It appears that I am beginning to be appreciated in other countries. So I don’t worry that my country doesn’t appreciate me.

Do you think the country will ever learn to appreciate you?
When you are no longer here, then they will appreciate you. They will sing praises of you. They will say we have lost a shinning star from the sky. They will say you are so good. They will say hilang tak dapat diganti. (what is lost cannot be replaced)

You constantly criticise DBP. But they gave you your first big break. They launched you into stardom by publishing your books. Some might say you are biting the hand that feeds you.
Yes. I bite the hand if I see the hand doesn’t really give me good things (laughs). It is wrong to say DBP gives me anything.
The people give tax to the government and the government goes through DBP and then DBP gives the money to me.
It is people’s money that published my books. If I owe anything to anyone, I owe to the people who paid taxes. I don’t owe DBP. It is their mission is to see what allocation they have and give the money to the authors who they think can give back to the country. The money is not from the DBP director’s own pocket. Some people think I might have grudges against DBP. But that is not the case.

What kind of roles do you like to see DBP play in promoting literature?
I don’t want to complain about DBP anymore. What is done is done. What I care about now is just give me back my copyright and I will be happy.

How do other Sasterawan Negara feel about the situation?
Maybe I am the only one who is not happy with what is happening. Maybe the others are happy. I should not represent them.

What do you think of your own writing and your own work?
I keep meeting people who ask me about the same book I wrote almost 50 years ago. I wrote it when I was 23. I’m going to be 73 in April and people are still taking about Salina (his first novel). It is as if they don’t know that I have written 65 books.
I have gone into short stories, novels, essays, poems and plays. But people keep coming back with the same book. Yes they know me, it doesn’t necessarily mean they read my work. I believe they read my work only when they are in school. (Salina is a school textbook) Only those who want to be writers read all my books later.

How do you know people don’t read your other books?
I know when people read my work. When I ask questions about my books, they grope in the dark. Reading is not easy. Unless you have cultivated the habit, you will not read. Things are becoming easier with the existing graphic novels. Now they can see pictures only. The intellectual groups always complain that my books are difficult to read, my books are difficult to study.

So why don’t you make your books easy to read like popular fiction?
I am always moving up. I should not go down. They (readers) should also go up. If they don’t understand me, it doesn’t mean I am wrong. I am 72 and I have been through all sorts of experiences. I don’t just make a sentence. I care about every word I write, whether it is reasonable, whether it is beautiful. Schools must help them come to that level. Instead they just say the books are difficult, so let us run away from them.

You could write in English. Why don’t you write in that language?
People have in the past advised me to write in English, so I will get a bigger audience. But I want to create Malay literature. When I die, I want to leave behind a khazanah Melayu (Malay heritage). You can have my work in English after you translate it. A lot of writers in the world write in their mother tongue and have their work translated into English.

Some say you see English as a colonial language and as a result dislike English and refuse to write in it.
(feigning disapproval) Yes. I dislike the English language. Yes, I don’t like it that you write in English ... You have no alternative because English is the language of the world. Most of what I have read is also in English. As I said earlier, I want to create Malay literature.

So why haven’t we translated your work as well as that of other Sasterawan Negara in English so the books can be sold in the overseas market?
You should ask this question to DBP and the National Translation Institute. That is their work. I wonder what the function of the institute is if they don’t translate work.

Do you think the media is supportive of serious Malay literature?
They are not helping. Malay newspapers do not have a specific literary editor ... I don’t know about English language newspapers. As a result, good books get ignored. Bad books get advertised and supported. Good literary events don’t get reported.

Do you think you have come to a stage where critics are afraid to criticise your work and say what you have produced is the work of a genius?
We do not have good critics. I don’t worry about that. But there are people who still say I write rubbish. There have been arguments before this on why a book like Salina, in which I write about prostitutes in Singapore, should be promoted in school. They say the topic is not suitable for students. But in America students read To Kill A Mockingbird, which is about racial discrimination. They want to explain to students about racial discrimination.

How would you like to be remembered?
As an A. Samad Said who was always unhappy with what was happening around him.

Why this unhappiness?
I want different things. I dream of a caring society, where there is peace, where we respect each other, where we will always smile always, where we shake hands and hug each other. We don’t get that in Iraq or Pakistan or Indonesia, and we don’t get that in Afghanistan. But this is the world, This is not heaven. You get that only in heaven.

Some people believe this is zaman kejatuhan (the era of the downfall) of serious Malay literature. Do you agree?
I do not think literature has jatuh (fallen). There are still new young writers such as Faizal Tehrani and Nisah Harun who are writing serious literature. If I can fall down, they too can fall down. But I always tell them to continue to write no matter what. But there is no appreciation for what you have given them. I would say this is zaman kejatuhan penulis (the era of the downfall of writers).

Did you ever imagine that serious literature would be in the doldrums when you first started writing?
Never. When I started writing (in his 20s), I thought the writing scene would have a vibrant and marvellous future. But I was wrong. If they don’t want to read my books, what can I do? If they don’t want to read books, what can I do? They will be stupid because they don’t read.

In the current situation, how do you motivate yourself to write?
There are times when I want to give up writing altogether. But when I pray, I feel peaceful and I become inspired.
Lately, I have been painting and drawing. I held an exhibition recently and sold 20 paintings. I got more than for what I write.

Seeing the present state of serious Malay literature, do you ever wish you could turn back the clock and had never chosen to be a writer?
I would still want to be a writer, even knowing this would be the ending. I will not change the fact that I am a writer. Writing is in my blood.

What is your advice to budding writers who want to dabble in serious Malay literature?
I have no more advice for writers. They no longer need my advice. They know Malay literature will not be supported.

Anwar Ridhwan

Today I am highlighting an interview with Malaysian National Laureate who speaks about the literature scene in Malaysia.
The article appeared in the sun dated Oct 8 2009


Headline : A Man Of Letters

Datuk Dr Mohd Anuar Rethwan, or Anwar Ridhwan, was announced the 10th Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate) last month. The Dean of the Writing Faculty of National Heritage, Culture and Arts Academy spoke to Bissme S about his dreams and hopes for the Malay literature scene.

Some people felt you have not produced enough literary work to deserve the Sasterawan Negara title. What is your comment?
(Deputy Prime Minister) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (who chaired the panel that selected this year’s Sasterawan Negara) answered this question perfectly. He said the panel was more impressed with the quality of my work.


What is your opinion of the Malay literature scene and what kind of changes would you like to see taking place?
I am happy that a few young writers such as Faisal Tehrani, Nisah Haron, Mawar Shafie and SM Zakir are still producing serious literature but I would like to see more youngsters doing so.

Why do you think youngsters stay away from writing serious literature?
That is the influence from the popular culture. Today, people want recognition fast. People want more royalty. So they prefer to produce popular rather than serious literature. When you write serious literature, you have to be patient before recognition comes your way.
It is also related to our school system, our reading habits and the level of discussion in society. All of them have not come to an intellectual level where it stimulates good writing. So it is difficult to get writers who can think seriously about life, people, the environment and culture.

So what is wrong with our school system?
It is exam-orientated. Students memorise to get better grades. They use less of their creativity to discuss issues. We have to move away from being too exam-orientated. I believe the Education Ministry realised this mistake and is seriously looking into rectifying the situation.

You are opposed to teaching maths and science in English. So what do you have against English?
I have nothing against English or any other language. I have always said the Malays must not only learn English but also learn Arabic, Mandarin and Tamil. Then, they must try to master other languages such as French and Spanish.
I believe Malaysians should learn as many languages as they can and it will be good for them. But in any country, there must be one national language that is used by everybody ... used in the school system ... used to unite people.
In many rural areas, many students cannot understand English. So I think it is better for lessons to be taught in their mother tongue and national language.
Most people think I am ultra Malay because I fight for this cause. I fight for the Malay language because it is our national language and it should have a proper place in our society. A few months ago, I read in Harakah that my chances to get the Sasterawan Negara title was slim because I was constantly criticising the government over the teaching of maths and science in English. But as a writer I felt I have to express my opinions, no matter what the consequences.

Why do you prefer the term Bahasa Melayu instead of Bahasa Malaysia?
Bahasa Melayu has been around for a thousand years. I do not see any valid reason for changing the term. Look at English. The language has gone into many countries. You do not hear the language being called differently. You do not hear English being called Australian English, German English or New Zealand English. It is still known as English, no matter where it goes.
The term Bahasa Malaysia was coined more for political reasons. I think the government copied what was happening in Indonesia. They (The Indonesian government) called Bahasa Melayu Bahasa Indonesia for political reasons. They wanted to use the term to unite their people as their country has a huge geographical area and has more than a hundred ethnic groups. But we are not so huge and our ethnic groups are not so diverse. Therefore we do not need to change Bahasa Melayu to Bahasa Malaysia.

Why do you think there are so few non-Malays in the Malay literary scene?
If you want the non-Malays to master the language, it has to start from school. You must be playful with the language ... You must be creative with the language, so that students of all races would like to express their emotions, their feelings and their intellectual thoughts in Bahasa Melayu. But this is not happening in schools.
Certain individuals such as Uthaya Sankar SB, Jong Chian Lai and Lim Swee Tin have taken an extra effort to master this language of their own accord and I applaud their effort.

Some people say there is discrimination and as a result the non-Malays prefer not to dabble in the Malay literary scene. What is your comment?
I do not believe any discrimination exists. I was with Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka (DBP) for more than 30 years and we have organised many literary contests. We read all works that came our way regardless of race, religion and ethnicity. Lim and Jong (a well-known Chinese poet and novelist respectively who write in Malay) got The S.E.A. Write Award (Southeast Asian Writers Award), and all the judges in the panels were Malays. DBP even formed a inter-ethnic writing committee to work with non-Malay writers.

You say there is no discrimination. Yet no non-Malay has won a Sasterawan Negara title. Why?
There is a movement by Uthaya Sankar SB (a non-Malay writer who writes Malay short stories) to nominate Lim Swee Tin for the next Sasterawan Negara. It is not impossible for a non-Malay who writes in the national language to get this title. We have many talented writers and we just have to wait our turn.

Serious literature from India and China has been gaining international recognition. Do you think Malay literature can appeal to the international market?
We have very good Malay literary works. But producing good work is not enough. You need to translate these into English and other foreign languages, and most important of all, you need to promote and advertise these works. We have been translating some works but we have not been promoting these books aggressively outside the country. Mark Twain said, “Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.”

Some people feel DBP is not playing an active role in promoting Malay literature. What is your comment?
To be fair, DBP is trying to be effective. But most of their staff are young and inexperienced. I believe they should work with outside publishers so the quality of their books can be improved.
They should not only work with Malay publishers and distributors. They must also work with Chinese and Indian publishers as long as these publishers are willing to publish books in Malay.
I have worked with DBP and I know the responsibility put on DBP is very heavy. They must have good in-house training for their staff. They must also learn to work fast. When they get a manuscript they must publish it within three to six months. But this is not the case. Some writers have to wait from one to two years to see their work published.
The ministry is going to abolish PPSMI (teaching of maths and science in English) from 2012. So DBP has to prove it can be an efficient book publisher and produce many science and technology books in Malay.
The government is indirectly telling DBP: “Look, we are giving you a second chance so you better deliver the goods, otherwise we have to go back to teaching maths and science in English.’”

People say we are not a reading society. Do you agree?
Yes. Reading is not cultivated in our society. In Europe, they have a long reading history before pop culture and electronic media entered the scene and dominated their minds. So the reading habit has been deeply rooted in their souls.
In this society, our reading history is rather short before pop culture and the electronic media entered the scene and dominated our minds. So the reading habit has not been deeply rooted in our souls. The reading habit must be cultivated from home. If the parents are not reading, how can you expect the children to be readers?

What is your advice for young writers?
I hate advising young writers. But if you want to be a serious writer, you must read a lot. The writing techniques are always changing, becoming more modern and complicated. A writer must always keep up with the changing writing styles. Most important of all, the writer must always be alert and sensitive to phenomena in society, which can be projected in literary works.

Do you believe writers should write stories with the aim of changing the world into a better place?
Yes. But literature alone is not enough to change the world. It is just one of the elements. There are other factors involved, from political situations to the education system which need to change if we want a better world.

What is your main message in your work?
I try to defend the positive culture and the good values we inherited from our ancestors. With the emerging global cultural tsunami, positive culture and good values are fast disappearing from our society.

Tell us more about yourself and how you got the reading habit?
I was born in Sungai Besar, Selangor. It is a remote place. Only in the 70’s my town had electricity and piped water. My father was a farmer. I had four brothers and a sister. I am the youngest in the family. My brothers read a lot and my mother loved reading syair (Malay poems). That is where I got my reading habit from.

Did you always want to be a novelist?
I wanted to be a writer since my primary school days. It began when I was in the school library, looking at all the books on the shelves. I said to myself if I write a good book, it would be in the library forever – to be borrowed and read. It is like I am leaving behind a legacy.

What do you think of the 1Malaysia campaign?
1Malaysia is a good concept for our society. But so far, it seems that the jargon is only highlighting inter-ethnic integration – which is of course vital in our multiracial society. I would like to see the concept cover multiracial collective effort in creating a more civil society where the arena of uncoerced collective action revolve around shared interests, purposes and values – that can be reflected in our education, political, social, economic system and so on.