Malaysian Literature In English
As I was flipping through my books today, I received a text message on my phone from my beloved sister saying that she has safely reached John F. Kennedy International Airport approximately a couple of hours ago. “Alhamdulillah…” I whispered to myself. She is one of the three lucky journalists from all over the world chosen to receive the Dag Hammarskjold Memorial Scholarship Fund of the United Nations Correspondents Association. Your message, Yanti, somehow triggers me to walk down the memory lane…
“Akak, look what I’ve found. Strawberry Shortcake!! I want to ask dad to buy for me.” Yanti tugged my dress to get my attention when we were at the toy section at Ipoh Metrojaya one afternoon.
“Hey, you better don’t. This doll is too expensive you know. Dad can’t afford it!”
“Dad...dad...Can you buy me this Strawberry Shortcake, pleaseeee?” Ignoring my warning, Yanti would scream at the peak of her voice without even noticing several customers nearby sneering at us for whatever reason, I wasn’t aware of at that time.
“Yanti, cuba jangan menjerit kuat-kuat. Malu orang dengar.”
Mak was a little pissed off to see her yelling and talking so loud. I suppose mak wasn’t angry at her but she was feeling ashamed because where ever we go people tend to look at us as if we were aliens. Why? This is due to the policy that my dad had which was to communicate in English Language amongst us the siblings as well as with him. “You can only speak Malay with your mak. If you don’t speak English with me or with each other, I will pull your cheeks.” That would be our punishment if we were to disobey him. And at that time, none of us dare to say no to him.
About thirty years ago the scenario mentioned was one of the many that my siblings and I used to experience before. We were seen as aliens for conversing in English Language but my army-like dad couldn’t care less what people would say about us. It was a burden for us at that time, to struggle to speak in English when the rest of our Malay friends and neighbours were speaking in Malay. We used to be labeled as “Melayu tak sedar diri”, “mengada-ngada”, “orang putih celup” and many other names that they could think of. However, now I can’t thank my dad enough for the policy that he had for us despite having the government to deprive the importance of English Language due to the approval of the National Language Act in 1967 and the Amendment Act of 1971 that is to have the Malay Language as the National Language. My English may not be as perfect as the native speakers and so are Yanti’s and the rest of my other siblings but we would not be what we are today if dad wasn’t aware of the significance of this colonial language.
Perhaps due to my own experience, I fully agree to the notion that the National Language Act of 1967 and the Amendment Act of 1971 have somehow caused several effects to Malaysian Literature in English even though the case is not permanent. Malaysian writers writing in English in the early 70s and 80s happened to be some of the people who faced the real impact. Personally, I don’t blame the government and the society at that time. To the government, they have to take suitable proceedings in order to make sure that the people of multi races stay united and to have an identity as a true Malaysian. At that point of time, language and culture seemed to be the government’s concern. And to the society, the language used during the colonial era was strictly rejected, as if to say whoever speaks in English does not love his or her country.
In other words, those who speak English were seen as less Malaysians. That was their perception of English at that time. In fact, not only the language is used as a yardstick to measure one’s nationalism but also to measure how Islamic one is. Speak English means you are seen as less Islamic. How about those studying and reciting the Holy Quran in English, does that make them less Muslims too? It isn’t surprising to see some of the first generation of the Malaysian English writers tend to back off and feel alienated in their own country. As a result, Malaysians do not produce any international and prominent writers like what they have in India. However, as for the Malaysian Laureate, Muhammad Haji Salleh, unlike some of his friends, he stopped writing poetry in the English language as a political statement of his total return to the Malay Language that was marginalised and humiliated by the British. According to him, he was deconstructing the colonialism within himself.
As well-educated group of people, personally I believe they should not be feeling alienated and should keep on writing in their choice of literary medium which is English to ensure the Malaysian Literature in English survives and has a brighter future. We are indeed in desperate need of more writers writing in English in order for us to have more writings and works that deal with the surroundings in our country. Hence, by having to have a wide range of writings in English by Malaysian writers will not only expose Malaysia to the rest of the world but also to provide more space in nation building.
Nevertheless, the needs for English have now made its way back. We are considered very lucky because nowadays we see more new English writers coming up, maybe not so much as mushrooms growing after rain, but we can see them bringing along wonderful and creative ideas in their writings. They write about the Malaysian landscape and settings, Malaysian culture, society, the difference ethnic groups and etcetera. Now we have writers like Shirley Lim, Tash Aw, Dina Zaman, Karim Raslan, to name just a few, providing us with numerous kinds of creative writings which can be brought forward to the international level. Up to this moment, we still do not have Malaysian English writers awarded as Nobel Laureates or even Poet Laureates internationally, but I strongly believe with the quality works by the Malaysian writers nowadays, we are moving towards it.
For me, in order for the Malaysian Literature in English to survive in future, it is essential for the society to be open and international as possible. However, one must not forget in his or her attempt to be open, it is significant not to abandon one’s tradition and lose one’s identity. Speaking of identity, one have to bear in mind that identity is not only shown through one’s language or mother tongue only but also through other various aspects of life. The ideal is to strike a balance that is to be open and international especially in terms of language and education and yet rooted in our own society, culture and tradition. The best example would probably be Muhammad Haji Salleh’s “Si Tenggang” in the “Si Tenggang’s Homecoming” where he is portrayed as a person who has to face both the new and the old tradition in order to be a modern person; that is the Malaysian of the future who is proud of his root and also proud to be a part of the bigger world outside.
Finally, in order for Malaysian Literature in English to survive, it is important for the writers to find more contemporary themes and dare to experiment more so they can produce good quality piece of writings. By doing so, I believe it can attract more audience amongst the younger generation especially and to have the Malaysian Literature in English to live on for now and always.
