His departure dropped the curtain on for the year of 2014 and his funeral began our 2015 literary journey. National Laureate, Datuk Abdullah Hussain, 94, died of old age after a very long and interesting literary adventure including (but not only) involving in Indonesian War of Independence in his early day (allegedly) and an unneeded controversial when his novel, Interlok (Interlock) was misunderstood by certain quarters of Malaysian.
I began to know him first through his novels, Masuk ke Dalam Cahaya (Into the Light) and Imam before interviewing him as a literature journalist. It happen when Interlok had been unfairly tarnished, not because as a literary work, but as historical writing. But then again, it is not about right or wrong, only the grievance was fueled by political agenda. Abdullah didn't choose the wrong word but certain party of people decided to bury the historical fact and ignored the past. Because of his sinile age, the questions had been written on paper and the conversation didn't take a long time. But his memory still intacted to remember the old days especially the need to write such novel as far as national unity concern.
More than hundred people, comprised of family members, authors and friends, gathered at Masjid Tun Abdul Aziz for funeral prayer, Petaling Jaya, yesterday including almost all of National Laureates, A Samad Said, Prof Muhammad Haji Salleh, Baharuddin Zainal, Anwar Ridhwan and Ahmad Kamal Abdullah and fellow writers such as Syed Mohd Zakir Syed Othman, Rahimidin Zahari, Shamsudin Othman, Muhammad Lutfi Ishak and Zaid Akhtar. Managing Director of The Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM), Mohd Khair Ngadiron and the President of Malaysian National Writers Association (PENA), Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad also attended the ceremony.
Maybe the best thing for me to remember Abdullah by jotting down these words:
'Dan Malam, Apabila Ia Berlalu' kita pun menerima khabar mendukakan.
Tanpa ada 'Konserto Terakhir', kita harap barkah, cinta lewat Selawat Perdana.
'Sebuah Perjalanan' seorang sasterawan dari 'Perjalanan Mencari Diri' kepada 'Perjalanan Mencari Bahasa', akhirnya 'Perjalanan Mencari Hikmah'.
Abdullah Hussain dari 'Kota ke Kota' meninggalkan alam ini ibarat 'Buih di Atas Air'.
Ah, 'Interlok' maka terurailah antara beliau dan kita, mewariskan beban sejarah yang belum kita pikul sepenuhnya.
Kala mula solat jenazah, terpandang 'Imam' siap bertakbir, memimpin kita yang penuh damba.
Kala aku mengusung kerandanya seperti menghulurkan naskhah 'Masuk ke Dalam Cahaya'.
Pergilah sang sasterawan, namamu dipanggil untuk 'Pertemuan Abadi'.
Farewell Pak Lah, behold, if Allah wills, we shall meet you. We ask of Allah's safety for us and for you.
- At the New Straits Times, Abdullah Hussain a loving father and husband
I began to know him first through his novels, Masuk ke Dalam Cahaya (Into the Light) and Imam before interviewing him as a literature journalist. It happen when Interlok had been unfairly tarnished, not because as a literary work, but as historical writing. But then again, it is not about right or wrong, only the grievance was fueled by political agenda. Abdullah didn't choose the wrong word but certain party of people decided to bury the historical fact and ignored the past. Because of his sinile age, the questions had been written on paper and the conversation didn't take a long time. But his memory still intacted to remember the old days especially the need to write such novel as far as national unity concern.
More than hundred people, comprised of family members, authors and friends, gathered at Masjid Tun Abdul Aziz for funeral prayer, Petaling Jaya, yesterday including almost all of National Laureates, A Samad Said, Prof Muhammad Haji Salleh, Baharuddin Zainal, Anwar Ridhwan and Ahmad Kamal Abdullah and fellow writers such as Syed Mohd Zakir Syed Othman, Rahimidin Zahari, Shamsudin Othman, Muhammad Lutfi Ishak and Zaid Akhtar. Managing Director of The Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM), Mohd Khair Ngadiron and the President of Malaysian National Writers Association (PENA), Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad also attended the ceremony.
Maybe the best thing for me to remember Abdullah by jotting down these words:
'Dan Malam, Apabila Ia Berlalu' kita pun menerima khabar mendukakan.
Tanpa ada 'Konserto Terakhir', kita harap barkah, cinta lewat Selawat Perdana.
'Sebuah Perjalanan' seorang sasterawan dari 'Perjalanan Mencari Diri' kepada 'Perjalanan Mencari Bahasa', akhirnya 'Perjalanan Mencari Hikmah'.
Abdullah Hussain dari 'Kota ke Kota' meninggalkan alam ini ibarat 'Buih di Atas Air'.
Ah, 'Interlok' maka terurailah antara beliau dan kita, mewariskan beban sejarah yang belum kita pikul sepenuhnya.
Kala mula solat jenazah, terpandang 'Imam' siap bertakbir, memimpin kita yang penuh damba.
Kala aku mengusung kerandanya seperti menghulurkan naskhah 'Masuk ke Dalam Cahaya'.
Pergilah sang sasterawan, namamu dipanggil untuk 'Pertemuan Abadi'.
Farewell Pak Lah, behold, if Allah wills, we shall meet you. We ask of Allah's safety for us and for you.
- At the New Straits Times, Abdullah Hussain a loving father and husband
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