George Town Literary Festival

Bernice Chauly talked about the upcoming of George Town Literary Festival which will run starting tomorro until this Sunday in Malay Mail Online. They invite Man Asian Prize winner, Tan Twan Eng and Norwegian novelist Hanne Ørstavik, winner of the Dobloug Prize in 2002 and the Brage Prize (2004). Ørstavik, according to the report wrote 14 novels including Like Sant Som Jeg Er Virkelig (The Blue Room) which had been translated into 18 languages.

BH also published the George Town Literary Festival's story on Tuesday.

National literature as a major subject

Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak said that national literature should be included to Malaysian education systems as a major subject, not just a component in Malay Language. Currently Malaysian student must study literature as part as language learning. For that, Razak also asked for increasing in children literature based on cultures and local values.

His text was read by Education Ministeri, Mahdzir Khalid at Malaysian Premier Literary Prize (MPLP) ceremony in Seri Kembangan, last night.

The assertion which made by Prime Minister must be follow with a passionate effort by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). And the selection of works must be doing with transparent and honest  - so that only a great and right reading materials will be used.

National Book Award 2015

There is also National Book Award 2015 which held at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur this morning in conjunction with Malaysian Book Expo. The organizer is National Book Development Foundation for both event.

Basically, National Book Award was given to Malaysian industry book from author to editor and publisher for their contributions. But their list of prizes is in a little messed-up because its range from individual to publishers and we never knew what the criteria had been used in the winners selection.

Read: Anugerah Buku Negara 2015 iktiraf 41 pemain industri

Kelantan Literary Award

We've been waiting for a very long time for this awards. And by we, its mean all Kelantan-born writers. This morning, Anugerah Sastera Negeri Kelantan (ASNK) or Kelantan Literary Award was given to its reciepents who appraised by a group of authoritative judges.

Fatimah Busu who is known as novelist, short story writers and academic, won Kelantan Literary Award's grand prize, while the poet, Wadi Leta AS was given a Hadiah Cekal Sastera Negeri Kelantan.

Below is the result of Kelantan's best books of 2013-2014:

Poetry: Tidakkah Kita Berada di Sana? (Have Not We're There?*) by Rosli K Matari
Short story: Naratif Jurnalis (The Narative of Journalist*) by Nassury Ibrahim
Novel: Jogho Yang Tewas (The Defeated Champion*) by Rohani Deraman
Essay/critique: Pemikiran Dharmawijaya  - Menterjemahkan Sosialisasi Masyarakat Desa dan Kota (The Thought of Dharmawijaya - Translating of Socialization Rural and Town Society*) Naapie Mat

Beside the book, ASNK also recognized a single work published in newspaper or magazine such short story and poetry.

Short story
1. Janji Juita by Abdul Hadi Yusoff -
2. Pemburu Malam Delionic by Adnie Bahiah
3. Charole by Eh Deng Eh Chik
4. Pada Suatu Nama by Nazmi Yaakub
5. Hujan Keruh di Jogja by SM Zakir

Poem
1. Kau Turun Seperti Biasa by Rudi Mahmood
2. Sajak Besi Kepada Kayu by Wadi Leta SA
3. Pinjamkan Aku, Rindu by Rahimidin Zahari
4. Tanah Bergaris Matahari by SM Zakir
5. Benih Tumbuh by Epan Pro Poul

Drama
1. Biring Si Kunani by Rahimidin Zahari
2. Pocong by Norhisham Mustaffa

Essay/critique
1. Haiku Melayu: Seiras Tidak Serupa by Darma Mohammad
2. Realisme Baru Zainal Rashid by SM Zakir

Hadiah Sastera Penulis Harapan
The winner: Rohani Deraman

Hadiah Penghargaan Penggerak Sastera
The winner: Abham TR

Malaysian Premier Literary Prize

Malaysian Premier Literary Prize ceremony will be held at The Palace of the Golden Horses hotel, Seri Kembangan, tonight. The prizes will be given by Malaysian Prime Minister.

The results - as we already knew when the announcement was made last week - show us the 2014 Malaysian literary best works for various genres as far as the judges are concerned. But how its go after this recognition, depends to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and their publishers to capitalize it.

The books are not to meant only to stay on bookshelves in the bookstores. Certainly not for the books which won such a pretsigous prize. For that we hope DBP and their counterpart will organize more event not just to promote the books, but also to critique and discuss it.

The winner of main category in Malaysian Premier Literary Prize (RM10,000)

Novel: Nenek (Grandmother*) by Razali Endun
Short story (compilation): Langit Tidak Berbintang di Ulu Slim (Sky Without Stars in Ulu Slim*) by Malim Ghozali Pk
Poetry (anthology): Jaulah ke Syurga (The Journey to Heaven*) by Muzaf Ahmad
Literary study: Oksidentalisme dalam Sastera Melayu Sebelum Merdeka hingga Era Mahathir Mohamad (Occidentalism in Malay Literature Before Merdeka Until Era of Mahathir Mohamad*) by Dr Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad
Biography: Biografi Ishak Shaari Pejuang Bumi Semua Manusia (The Biography of Ishak Shaari: Naturalist Fighter for Humankind*) by Dr Mohamed Salleh Lamry

The winner of children literature (RM5,000)

Novel: ... Rahsia Dhia! (Secret of Dhia*) by Zainun Mustapha
Poetry (anthology): Sakura (Sakura*) by Mahaya Mohd Yassin
Picture book: Di Mana Sebelah Lagi? (Where's the Other Half?*) by Razisatul Asyifah

The winner of youth literature (RM5,000)

Novel: Gerbang Raudhah (The Arch of Raudhah*) by Rohaidah Yon
Short story (compilation): Tetamu Istimewa (A Special Guest*) by Mohd Helmi Ahmad
Poetry (anthology): Mimpi Kotaku (The Dream of My City*) by Hilmi Rindu

If you were a new PM, what would you do?

If you were elected as a new Prime Minister, what would you do first? For Kevin Rudd who took over Australian Prime Minister office after 2007 election, he initiated the Prime Minister's Literary Awards - among other moves such as signing the Kyoto Protocol and delivering an apology to Australian Aboriginal for the act of Australian government who removed their children from them between 1905 to 1970.

Also read joint press statement by the current Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull with Minister of the Arts, Mitch Fifield recognised the awards as an exceptional literary achievement by Australian writers. And it is heartwarming to read such appeal that had been made by Australian leaders:

"I encourage all book‐loving Australians to celebrate the exceptional talent of Australia's literary sector by reading a book or two from the 2015 Prime Minister's Literary Awards shortlists."

The award's shortlists were announced yesterday and The Sydney Morning Herald had its full lists in Shortlists announced for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. The awards have six catogeries: fiction, poetry, Australian history, non-fiction, young adult fiction and children's fiction. Almost same as Malaysian Premier Literary Prize except national historical writing.

The prize worth $80,000 (RM246,000) for the winner, while all the shortlisted authors will get $5,000 (RM15,000). Maybe it should be implement in our literary prize - which in current practice, the winner takes it all.

Malaysian science fiction and fantasy

In US, science fiction and fantasy genres has been viewed as belittler writing by literary status-quo. The Wired has a good article about the changing that has been happen when Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy released this year. The release was considered as a major step toward respectability.

Malaysian science fiction and fantasy genres in other hands, has more good thing to say. As far as I'm remember, Rahmat Haroun who wrote Di. Ar. Ti. and Manuklon was regarded among the pioner of Malaysian science fiction, while Ahmad Patria Abdullah as a 'pathfinder' in Malaysian fantasy world. Abdullah wrote such good fantasy novels like Kembar Artakus (Artakus Twins*); Pedang Aurora (Aurora Sword*) and Kota Arialun (The City of Arialun*).

But Malaysian science fiction and fantasy writing had never been disparaged within the literary world. All of those novels were published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) who has an autonomous power granted by the goverment to publish literary writings in Malaysia.

Still, there is a lot of effort needed to uphold these two genres for us to see its grow more. And if the American science fiction and fantasy circle were exhilarated by the releasing of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, I think Malaysian counterparts would have same thrill.

I think editor of Dewan Sastera, Fadli Al-Akiti who a science fiction writer himself has something to say.

* not yet translated

English as official language in Sarawak

The announcement of Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia or Malaysian Premier Literary Prize (HSPM) was clouded by the news of Sarawak adopted English as the official language of the state administration, apart from Malay language. The astound statement was made by Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the state civil service gathering yesterday and emphasized that it was a practical and logical step.

While his advice for the state's civil servants to be fluently in English was widely acceptable, the urgency of using English as a second official language is not. But bear in mind that Sarawak has a privilege which called Perkara 20 and one of them is the using of English as official language related to the state and federal purposes without a limit of time. And in the same time Malaysian Constitution states states Malay language as a national language and must used it for on official purposes regarding to the government, federal or state and any other purpose concern with a public authority.

Because of that Malaysian government, politic leaders and all of us should manage and discuss this issue delicately, balancing with the state jurisdiction and sovereignty of Constitution.

Read also:-
Minta Sarawak kaji semula, jangan atasi kepentingan negara
PEKASA minta Adnan Satem, DBP berbincang
Tindakan Sarawak beri kesan perpaduan, jati diri

'Grandma' grabs Malaysian literary prize

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) announced the winners of Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia or Malaysian Premier Literary Prize (HSPM) at their headquaters in Kuala Lumpur today. This is the most pretigious of book and literary works prize in Malaysia with three categories.

The best novel is Nenek (Grandmother*) by Razali Endun, while for the compilation of short story, the judges choose Langit Tidak Berbintang di Ulu Slim (Sky Without Stars in Ulu Slim*) by Malim Ghozali Pk. Malim Ghozali who I mentioned before grabed an atention when his novel, Tree of Sorrow was nominated for long list of Dublin International Literary Award 2016.

The winners whose also listed are Dr Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad for his literary review, Oksidentalisme dalam Sastera Melayu sebelum Merdeka hingga Era Mahathir Mohamad; Ahmad Muzaffar Baharudin (poetry anthology, Jaulah Sampai Syurga) and Mohamed Salleh Lamry (biography, Biografi Ishak Shaari: Pejuang Bumi Semua Manusia).

And HSPM also consisted by literary works in various genres such as short story, poem, drama and children/teenager literature.

Read: Nenek ungguli Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia 2014

The needless debate on language

One of Malaysian opposition's parliament member made a fuss about the use of national language at Parliament, yesterday. The needless 'debate' about it can be watched at Youtube. After over than five decades of independent, apparently there some of our parliament members still don't get the meaning of Malay language as an official language.

The fuse were about so called inconsistencies between Article 152 on national language and Article 161 on permission to the members from Sabah and Sarawak natives for using English language.

Dewan Rakyat's speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia as reported in NST today, reminded that the use of national language at Parliament must be respected and all of the members were bound by the Standing Orders which states bahasa Melayu as the house's offical language.

So Pandikar made a clear about that claim. And for that opposition's parliament member, may be he should remember there is a English phrase that said, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

Also read: DAP MP's insistence on using English in Parliament draws flak

Reading book review of Thailand's SEA Write Awardee

Bangkok Post published a piece 'Myth, love and blind earthworms' - a book review of Veeraporn Nitiprapha's award-winning novel. Veeraporn had been announced as The SEA Write Award winner last October with her debut novel, A Blind Earthworm In a Labyrinth (the original title, Saiduan Tabod Nai Khaowongkot).

Reading the review, it seems to me the novel is more to popular romance novel than a literary one. It has all ingradient for a light genre reading. But in the other hand, the reviewer remind us to a background of writing process which had a connection with 2010 the Ratchaprasong crackdown of post-Red Shirt protesting.

On one level, the book is pure soap opera, gripping and entertaining. Reading the book twice or more, however, it seems it has been written for the sole purpose of mocking itself...
... The novel was written exactly according to the structure we see in every soap opera after the evening news. Whether it's social or political, some of us tend to have a set of beliefs and myths trusted.

But in other hand, the review showes us how Thailand's SEA Write Award committe constructed a good of commercialized mechanism to promote the award. 

Meski Jauh Dibatasi Bumi: A sort of trilogy for Malaysian literature history

Kata Pengarang, Kata Pembaca (K-PaP) is a book discussion monthly event organized by Malaysian National Writers Association (PENA). It provides a platform for an author (pengarang) and a reader (pembaca) to share their writing process and reading experience respectively.

For the last Saturday event, two books had been chosen by the organizer; a short story compilation and a novel. The first title was Pascasejarah (Posthistory*) by Fahd Razy which won Writing Competition organized by Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM), PENA and Berita Harian (BH) for category of short story compilation, a couple of years ago.

While the second title was Meski Jauh Dibatasi Bumi (Although Confined in the Earth*), a novel by Sutung Umar RS and had been discusssed by Malaysian veteran dramatist and political poet, Dinsman. The novel was written based on author personal experience in his early life in Kuala Lumpur and constructed in a way similar to soliloquy in a drama. Meski Jauh Dibatasi Bumi could be said a part of trilogy consist of Api Cinta (The Fire of Love*) and Dia dan Nya (He and His*).

As a reader, Dinsman gave a sort of consciousness not only to other readers for remind them that Meski Jauh Dibatasi Bumi is still a novel; it blended facts and fictions in a way the dividing line between them had been blurred. This happened several times before especially in Api Cinta when it has a striking similarity of Malaysian literary life in 80's and 90's and for its obscene scenes.

But the 'trilogy' in a way is an account of literary life in Kuala Lumpur which had been written by a prominent figure in Malaysian literature. Sutung Umar RS was Dewan Sastera's Editor and had a working experience under the great Usman Awang before the former left Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) to take a position as Literature Editor for BH. For those roles and his involvement in Malaysian literary life bore significant influence to many Malaysian writers from National Laureate to a younger generations.

For this alone, Meski Jauh Dibatasi Bumi must be taken as important novel to read.

Malaysian writers condemning the Paris Attacks

Malaysian writers are and will always condemning the act of killing civilians wherever they were. Either in Paris, Palestine or Syria - its all about the act of terror whatever the labels or ideals were using. And Malaysian novelists, poets, creative writers, academics and essayist must and will not tolerate such act. From time to time, we always express our feeling - sympathy, anger, wisdom and all - that nobody can use whatever excuse to kill another human being.

Fethullah Gulen said in his interview in An Islamic Perspective: Terror and Suicide Attacks:

These all were just words. The Qur'an talks about such "labels." They are things of no value. ut people just kept on killing. Everyone was killing in the name of an ideal.
In the name of these bloody "ideals" many were killed. This was nothing less than terror. Everybody, not only Muslims, was making the same mistake.

I'm confident my fellow writers agree with this.

Among the hashtag using in twitter right now #ParisAttacks or #PorteOuverte.

Lesson from Oceans Literature Award

Maybe Malaysia's literary prize can learn something from The Oceanos Literature Award which is awarded to works in Portuguese. The award, which is based in Brazil, has three stages. In the first stage for this year, 592 literary works were selected, as announced on its website, Itau Cultural. And now the judges had just finished deliberating in the second stage of the judging process, in 14 finalists have been shortlisted.

For the final stage, eight authoritative judges will decide the eventual winners of The Oceanos Literature Award. The first prize winner will receive 100,000 reais, which is equivalent to RM116,000, while the second winner - 60,000 reais (RM69,000). The third prize winner will be awarded 40,000 reais (RM46,000) and the fourth prize is 30,000 reais (RM34,000).

It is not only the selection of works that have been conducted in a transparent manner; a voting system has also been adopted to choose the judges when 60 scholars and writers voted among themselves who will be the judges for a particular year.

The Oceanos Literature Award started in 2003, introduced by a major telecommunication company from Portugal. In a way, this reminds us to a literary competition in Malaysia that was once organized and sponsored by PETRONAS. The competition was warmly and passionately received by our literary circle. Unfortunately the competition was a one-off occasion, and has yet to be replicated.

Television series: A better adaptation for novel?

At popMATTERS, M King Adkins wrote a good piece, 'Is Literary Adaptation Better on Film or on Television?' Game of Thrones, Under the Dome (inspired by a Stephen King novel), Backstrom (based on W.G. Persson, Wayward Pines (a trilogy by Blake Crouch) and The Last Ship (William Brinkley) - all of them had been noticed by Adkins as a new way adaptation literary works to television series.

For Adkins, television series has a strength that only just begun to discover, "... lies in its open-endedness. It goes on for longer stretches of time, it burst the bounds of easy resolution, it feels more like real life."

In Malaysia, the producers are more incline towards popular romance novel for television adaptation but from time to time there are literary works that had been produced to a drama. A Trilogy of Lepaskan Aku Kembali Ke Laut by Shaari Isa (translated to Release Me Back to the Sea vol. I, II and III) is one of them. Before it, we had an opportunity to watch 'visual interpretation' of such literary novel like Saudagar Besar dari Kuala Lumpur by National Laureate Keris Mas (had been translated to English by a title The Big Businessman from Kuala Lumpur and in France, Le Grand Commercant de Kuala Lumpur) and Senja Kala (translated to Twilight Time).

But of course we except more literary works to be choose for movie or television adaptation 

'Luka Nering' and 'Kod Michelangelo listed in Dublin International Literary Award 2016

It is still a very long way to see Malay's literary novel win a international award such as Dublin International Literary Award. But today, we got exciting news when a novel by Malim Ghozali Pk, Time of Sorrow which translated by the author himself from Luka Nering and  The Michelangelo Code by Nazehran Jose Ahmad was listed for that prize.

Time of Sorrow and The Michelangelo Code were mentioned among the 160-title in announcement of the 2016 long list for the prize formerly known by the name of IMPAC Dublin. Among others are The Zone of Interest by Martis Amis; Adultery (Paulo Coelho); Colorless Tsukaru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (Haruki Murakami); How to be Both (Ali Smith); The Temporary Gentleman (Sebastian Barry) and The Snow Queen (Michael Cunningham).

This award based on nomination from libraries from all over the world and it also allow translation works to be nominated.

Read the announcement on their website, International Dublin Literary Award and also on The Irish Times.

Also in our website, BH with short comment from Malim Ghozali Pk himself.

Why literary works must be made compulsory for all students?

1.

Forbes ran a good piece by Chad Orzel - the author of Eureka: Discovering Your Inner Scientist - under the title Why Scientists Should Study Art And Literature.

The very same arguments had been given by our literary circle including National Laureates, writers, educational academicians, activists and other to convince the government especially Education Ministry to scrap the existing practice in dividing science students and literature students.

In present practice, brilliant and good students in their exam results have been directed to science stream, while the ordinary one including weak student had to take others such as arts and literature. What our literary circle want is to make literature subjects as a compulsory for all students.

Orzel gave three reasons why students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields to take humanities classes including literature, arts, history and philosophy in college and explained the benefits for a future scientist can get from those humanity subjects.

The main reason is empathy - just like what Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi wrote when he criticised his former Prime Minister when his leader shared his favourite book was Guinness Book of World Records - because literary works give a various views of how other peoples perceive the world.

Whether that’s the author, or the director, or the actors, or the characters they’re playing, literature will introduce you to people whose experience of the world has been vastly different than yours.

And that’s critically important because the vast majority of people in the world are not you. In fact, modulo the occasional alternate world scenario, you’re a minority of one.

This is critically important because as much as we might like to, science can’t be walled off from other concerns– science is done by people, and we all bring our own history and experiences to the process of doing science. You’ll need to work with, for, and sometimes around these people, and understanding how they look at the world can be enormously helpful to this process. 

Literature can help with this. Not because any of the books you read will provide a perfect analogue for any of the people you meet, but because it’s good practice. If you read a wide range of literature, and study it carefully, you’ll gain experience in seeing how the world looks to other people.

If the reasons gave by our literary experts and educational academicians was taken for granted by a minister or his deputy or their bureaucrats before, may be a glimpse by a physics professor like Orzel and others can found a way to their minds.

2.

Just got a tweet from Muhammad Fakhruddin, a fellow blogger at Oh!Buku that he presented a paper at Asian Bioethics Conference in Philippine. He shared his insight based on Malay's science fiction novel, Transgenik Sifar (Zero Transgenic*) by Sri Rahayu Mohd Yusop; Leksikon Ledang (Ledang Lexicon*) by Nor Azida Ishak and Fadli Al-Akiti and Klon (Clone*) by Zaifuzaman Ahmad. Hope he can share his paper when come back to Malaysia.

And his paper maybe can give a glimpse of hope to see all students read a good Malaysian literary work.

Ridzuan Harun, the quiet poet

A couple years before Azizi Haji Abdullah passed away, we had a late night chit-chat at Bucu - a Mamak (Indian Muslim) restaurant near Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP)  - when that prolific writer came to KL. A few fellow writers joined us such as Ridzuan Harun, Lutfi Ishak and SM Zakir.

The most short-spoken person in our late night chit-chat was Ridzuan Harun. Ridzuan was so self-contained that Azizi had to jest with him, "Hang dok diam saja. Hang pi baliklah!" (You are so quiet. You go home!). Of course that sounded harsh, not to mention Azizi came that night with Ridzuan. But it was friendly enough for northern people to joke like that. And that joke will be repeating when Ridzuan choose to hold his tongue among us.

Nevertheless, Ridzuan Harun indeed is a quiet poet. His words came to the light in his poetry more than in shape of his voice. Yet when we talk about a poet who have much experience with others prominent authors who had passed away such as Azizi, T Alias Taib and Rahimidin Zahari; Ridzuan is among the best 'literary historian' in our country. Still we have to wait the best of him to come out in term of literary memoirs especially about those our best authors. He is currently a lecture at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan or National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA).

Until then, enjoy his poetry such as two poems that taken from Negeri Kunang-kunang or Country of Firefly* which won the first Writing Contest of Novel, Poetry and Short Story Compilation organized by Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM), Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (PENA) and Berita Harian (BH).


Pengkalan Kubor**
oleh Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub

Stand at your land in a slight sprinkle noon
facing the immigration counter
seing tourists flocking
to the row of duty-free shops
then came out smiling
with a handful of bargain buy.

I asked myself at the wall
at your other side, how are you
Takbai and Golok
is rainbow glaring the rays
or is there red spatter still staining
at the sky that had raged the dispute.


Country of Firefly
by Ridzuan Harun
translated by Nazmi Yaakub

Son, I brought you
to the country of firefly
during the day

only a murky river
sluggish flow
you bemoaned
there are no fireflies
even in it's country

I brought you here in a daylight
not to see the fireflies
but to watch
a friendship of flora and fauna

Look at berembang*** trees
grew side by side along the sluggish river
because of its, at the night
fireflies rise
with thousands of blinking lights
without berembang, there's no firefly

Now in here, look
how nature will guide you
about solitude and silentness
unification and solidarity
sharing and consideration
respect and trust
love and humanity

Nature will educate you
and make you understand
the meaningful of preserveration
subsistence and servitude

Tonight, taking you I will
for you to enjoy
thousands of natural's blinking neon
in country of firefly.


* Not yet translate
** A small town on Malaysia-Thailand border and separated by Golok river that easy enough to cross it
*** Sonneratia alba, a kind of mangrove tree

Are there too many of book fair in Malaysia?

Are there too many of book fair in our country? We got Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair in April/May; Book Fest by bookstore chains, Popular in July and another one from MPH called Bookervile or Putrajaya International Book Fair early in March and another event at the heart of Malaysian goverment the centre of Malaysia's administration, Putrajaya Islamic International Book Fair in this month and last but not least the howling of Big Bad Wolf in next month (and possibly it howls again sometimes in March). Oh not to forget Kota Buku Bazar every month.

And at the end of this month, there is Ekspo Buku Malaysia or Malaysia Book Expo in Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur. Plus it also will hold National Book Award - that supposably recognizes the best title in various genre which in previous year sparkled controversy and polemic as many awards in Malaysia. Or maybe it is 'world phenomenon' because such prize like Nobel Prize not free from controversial.

But back to the topic - are there too much of book fair in our country? Or is it good for book and reading environment? How about the profit that publishers and bookstores had been collected in previous events?

Many told me about the bad year for book industry and this not in this year - maybe a couple of years ago. And I think the number of titles kept increasing from time to time same as the number of events. It look like the publishers and bookstores always find a way from this supposably bad time for book industry to capture the market and to sell their books or clear their stock.

But how about to book lovers or book readers. Is it good for their reading environment and culture or it will turn them to, not a book zombies, but to tsundoku! Tsundoku as every book readers circle knew - a Japanese word that equivalent guys and girls who kept buying the book but a big chunk of it it had not been reading (I think I guilty of this charge also!).

Maybe we will discuss it at this coming book fair! *wink*

Read: Ekspo Buku Malaysia 25-29 November ini (in Malay)

Tujuh Keturunan: A Transition of myth society to 'modernized' community

Last Saturday, I invited to talk about Tujuh Keturunan, a novel by Abd Razak Adam which its title literally translated as Seven Generations. The talk held at Kolej Universiti Islam Melaka (KUIM), Kuala Sungai Baru, Melaka and organized by Ikatan Persuratan Melaka (IPM) or Malacca Literary Association. Among the speakers are a prolific writer who won SEA Write Award in 2011, Syed Mohd Zakir Syed Othman and a poet who also an academic at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Dr Shamsudin Othman.

I discussed Tujuh Keturunan from the aspect of transition of Malay rural traditional at pre-independent period to modernized Malay community at FELDA which happen after Merdeka (Independence). FELDA or Federal Land Development Authority is founded by the Malaysia government to constructed resettlement of rural community into agricultural structured settlement.

Interestingly, Tujuh Keturunan separated into two section; firstly, a traditional Malay which held a world-view compressed by a mixture of myth and religion elements and secondly, a more modernized mind of Malay but not exclude the Islamic aspect. It happen when Rahmat, the main character in this novel voluntarily participated with FELDA settlement that relocated him with other to a new land that still a forest.

When in his village, the myths still played a bigger role in term of giving the explanation about phenomenon happen in daily life. There was mysteriously midwife that had foster 'harimau jadian' (something like phantom cum tiger) or a man who had ability turning to a tiger (like werewolf in Western folklore) or a magical health treatment including licking by tiger. Also there was a kuntilanak (woman vampire) who reside at tall and shady tree; puaka (gnome maybe) who dangle at a tree or magical stick (certainly more bigger than Harry Potter and the others wizard's magical wand) which gave invulnerable strength to the owner.

But it not just about myth that occupied Malay rural life. It was also a religious aspect that gave a meaning to Malay world-view even if it not got a bigger explanation from the author. There was a aqiqah scene that blended with Malay syair berendoi among others. Berendoi is a ceremony that hold in conjunction of bercukur or hair cutting and shaving of a newborn's ceremony usually at the 7th day after his/her birth. After the cutting or shaving, the baby placed in endoi or swing with the performing of berendoi chatting.

The second phase in Rahmat life changed to more challenging because he and other settlers must cleared the jungle to pave the way for rubber cultivation. Because the vigorously struggle including under threat of wild elephants and food shortage, the myths that dominated in their former life had been disappeared. Now, it all about giving all the effort to make a life in a new land. The demand of modernization made them to ceased a part of their life but still maintain their religious aspect.

For me, Tujuh Keturunan is a good reading except it still can go further and deeper because there is so many thing the author could elaborate either in Malay rural traditional life or an early struggle of FELDA settlement.