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Yang Berbahagia Sasterawan Negara Dato' Seri

A. Samad Said

DGPN DMSM Malaysian National Laureate
Yang Berbahagia Sasterawan Negara Dato' Seri; A. Samad Said; DGPN DMSM Malaysian National Laureate
	A. Samad Said in 2015
Native name	عبدالصمد محمد سعيد‎
Born	Abdul Samad bin Mohamed Said; 9 April 1935 (age 89); Durian Tunggal, Malacca, Straits Settlement, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Occupation	writer
Language	Malay, English
Nationality	Malaysian
Alma mater	Victoria School, Singapore
Genre	Novelist, poet
Notable awards	Pejuang Sastera (1976); S.E.A. Write Award (1979); Sasterawan Negara (1985); Sasterawan Nusantara (1999);
Spouse	Salmi Manja

Abdul Samad bin Mohamed Said (born 9 April 1935)^[1]^[2] is a Malaysian novelist and poet. In May 1976, he was named by Malaysia literature communities and many of the country's linguists as the Pejuang Sastera [Literary Exponent] receiving, within the following decade, the 1979 Southeast Asia Write Award and, in 1986, in appreciation of his continuous writings and contributions to the nation's literary heritage, or Kesusasteraan Melayu, the title Sasterawan Negara or Malaysian National Laureate.

Education

A native of the Malaccan Kampung village of Belimbing Dalam, near the town of Durian Tunggal, young Abdul Samad completed his primary education during the World War II years of 1940–46 at Singapore's Sekolah Melayu Kota Raja (Kota Raja Malay School). During the wartime occupation of Malaya and Singapore by the Japanese Empire, he attended the occupying authorities' Sekolah Jepun school for a brief three-month period. Upon the war's conclusion, he furthered his studies at Singapore's Victoria School, graduating in 1956 with Senior Cambridge Certificate.^[3] Although starting as a clerk in a hospital, he was soon able to achieve his ambition of becoming a full-time writer in Utusan Melayu, Warta Tebrau and Berita Harian, authoring numerous poems and short stories in the years to come.

Achievements

Pejuang Sastera (1976)
SEA Write Award (1979)
Sasterawan Negara (1985)
Sasterawan Nusantara (1999)

His poem, "The Dead Crow" was translated into English language and was included in the Malaysian lower secondary school English literature curriculum from 2000 to 2009.^[4] A survey was done among 360 students and it was found that 10 (2.8%) of the students described the poem as "hardest to understand" of all the poems taught in secondary school.^[5]

Works

A.Samad Said wrote in almost all field of literature and creative writing. Two of his notable works are Salina, about a prostitute in Malay pre Independence and Hujan Pagi (translated to English as Morning Post), considered as Malaysia's first magical realism novel. He wrote novel, short stories, poem, essay, drama and article. Among his anthologies are Suara Dari Dinding Dewan (2003) and Dirgahayu Dr. Mahathir & Rindu Ibu (2004). His most recent anthology of essays is Ilham Di Tepi Tasik (2006). A. Samad Said is also known as Hilmy, Isa Dahmuri, Jamil Kelana, Manja, Mesra and Shamsir.

Salina. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1961. OCLC 3220023 / Revised edition, 1976. OCLC 851140838. This version uses the New Rumi Spelling. / Second edition, 1989. ISBN 9836203680; OCLC 1223479218.
- Shōfu Salina (娼婦サリナ). Translated by Tatsuo Hoshino. Tokyo : Imura bunka zigyousya, 1983. OCLC 963154279. Japanese version of Salina.
- Sallinauiyeonindeul (살리나의연인들). Translated by Jong Yeong-nim. Seoul: Chihaksa, 1987. OCLC 19842949. Korean version of Salina.
- Salina. Translated by Hawa Abdullah. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Ministry of Education Malaysia, 1991. OCLC 1110424624. / Translated by Lalita Sinha. Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia, Attin Press, 2013. ISBN 9789674302566; OCLC 862575621. English versions of Salina.
- Shā lì nà (莎丽娜). Translated by Yu Yu. Taiyuan: Beiyue Literature and Art Publishing House, 1992. ISBN 7537805326; OCLC 299479243. Chinese version of Salina.
- Salina. Translated by Laurent Metzger. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1997. ISBN 2738448372; OCLC 37574979. French version of Salina.
- Salina. Translated by Rosa Maria Glavan Martinez. Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia, 2014. ISBN 9789674303686; OCLC 973217422. Spanish version of Salina.
Bulan Tak Bermadu di Fatehpur Sikri. Malacca: Toko Buku Abbas Bandong, 1966. OCLC 30025401. This version uses Za'aba Spelling and released as Bulan Ta' Bermadu di-Fatehpur Sikri / Revised edition, Subang Jaya, Selangor: Tra-Tra, 1982. OCLC 9852583.
Sungai Mengalir Lesu. Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Gunong Tahan, 1967. OCLC 41075388. / Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1988. ISBN 9836205535; OCLC 851106765. This version is written in Jawi script.
- Lazy river Translated by Harry Aveling. Kuala Lumpur: Heinemann Asia, 1981. OCLC 9240656. English version of Sungai Mengalir Lesu.
- Yōuyōu héshuǐ (悠悠河水). Translated by Lee Ngeok Lan. Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia, 2014. ISBN 978-967-430-571-0; OCLC 973218046. Chinese version of Sungai Mengalir Lesu.
Benih Harapan. Kuala Lumpur: Grafika Sendirian Berhad, 1973. OCLC 63842871. A poem collection.
Di Hadapan Pulau. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1978. ISBN 9789836208873; OCLC 963070129.
Langit Petang. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1980. OCLC 656155371.
Daerah Zeni. Petaling Jaya: Fajar Bakti, 1985. ISBN 9789679333015; OCLC 18234602.
Benih Semalu
Daun Semalu Pucuk Paku
Warkah Eropah
Al-Amin
Suara Dari Dinding Dewan
Hujan Pagi
Lantai T Pinkie
Wira Bukit
Adik Datang
Cinta Fansuri

Activism and political views

In 2009, A. Samad Said together with four other literary scholars, campaigned to abolish PPSMI (Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English) in Malaysian secondary schools.^[6]^[7] He believed that such opposition is needed to prevent the degradation of Malay language usage in Malaysia.^[8] He also participated in an anti-PPSMI rally near the Malaysia Royal Palace in order to hand over a memorandum to the palace.^[9]

He became the co-chairperson for Bersih 2.0 rally together with Ambiga Sreenevasan in 2011 in order to support a free and fair elections in Malaysia.^[10] He also composed a poem named "Unggun Bersih" (Cleansing fire) where the poem became a subject of police investigation for sedition.^[11]^[12] Disappointed with the lack of electoral reform, he openly supported for Bersih 3.0 rally in the following year.^[13] During this rally, he composed another two poems which expressed his disappointment when he was not allowed to go to National Mosque of Malaysia to conduct his prayers and describing a clash between the Bersih 3.0 supporters and authorities guarding the Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur.^[14] During the 2013 Malaysian general elections, he openly supported Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition in order to end the Barisan Nasional (BN) rule in Malaysia, believing that PR can deliver on fixing the problems in Malaysian healthcare, education, and democracy systems. He also criticised BN for using racist, vote-buying, and scare-tactics during the election.^[15] In Samad Said's opinion, Chin Peng was not a communist terrorist as depicted by Malaysian government but should be regarded as a freedom fighter and be allowed back to Malaysia from exile in Thailand. This is because Chin Peng had fought against the Japanese and British colonial masters before the independence of Malaya.^[16] On 13 June 2015, Samad Said joined Democratic Action Party (DAP). He described the party as a "truly Malaysian party, which is clean, focused, with a genuine Malaysian dream".^[17]

Personal life

A Samad Said’s wife, Salmi Manja passed away on 26 December 2023, at the age of 86.

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

Penang :
- Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DGPN) - Dato' Seri (2017)^[18]
Melaka :
- Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) - Datuk (1996)

References

^ "Datuk Abdul Samad Muhammad Said (A. Samad Said)". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
^ "Datuk Abdul Samad Muhammad Said (A. Samad Said)". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018. (in Malay)
^ Biografi A. Samad Said: memberi hati nurani [Biography A. Samad Said : give conscience] (in Malay). ITBM. 2012. ISBN 9789830688749.
^ Gilbert, Perrieire; Jana, Maya; Renee, Allen; Wong, Chee Fui; Wong, Ming Yook (2007). PMR English - Complete Text and Guide - Integrated Curriculum for secondary schools. Shah Alam, Malaysia: Arah Pendidikan Sdn Bhd. p. 251. ISBN 9789833717088. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Chew, Fong Peng; Tan, Li Chin (30 June 2011). "Malaysia Ministry of Education's Selection of Poems for the Form Four and Form Five New Literature Component" (PDF). International Conference on International Education: Focus on the Learner. pp. 3, 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Jason, Lai; Lai, Pik Yien (4 June 2012). "Revealing the reality of PPSMI". Scientific Malaysian Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Jimadie, Shah Othman (5 May 2009). "Lima sasterawan negara tolak PPSMI (Five national laurates reject PPSMI)". Malaysiakini (in Malay). Archived from the original on 19 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "PPSMI: Samad Said nafi diperalat pembangkang (PPSMI:Samad Said denies being used by the opposition parties)". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 25 February 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "PPSMI: Hadi, Samad Said disiasat polis (PPSMI: Hadi, Samad Said are being investigated by the police)". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 13 March 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "Pak Samad: Why are they not targeting me?". Free Malaysia Today. 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "Unggun-Bersih (Cleansing fire)". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "National laureate probed over 'seditious poem'". Malaysiakini. 27 June 2011. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Clara, Chooi (5 April 2012). "Pak Samad ready for Bersih 3.0, 'disturbed' by lagging reforms". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "Pak Samad rakam kehampaan dalam puisi (Pak Samad recorded his frustration in poems)". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 1 May 2012. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Syed Jaymal, Zahid (6 April 2013). "Openly campaigning for Pakatan, Pak Samad tells voters to oust BN". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ Rashvinjeet, S. Bedi; Dina, Murad (17 September 2013). "Samad Said's secret". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 30 August 2015. "If you're a communist, you're bad. That's not always the case because Chin Peng was a hero for fighting the Japanese during the emergency. The British gave him a big medal. Later he fought the British because they are colonists. You can't say he's a terrorist. He's a freedom fighter and should be allowed home," said Samad interestingly just a few days before Chin Peng passed away.
^ Boo, Su-Lyn (13 June 2015). "DAP 'truly Malaysian' party, says newest member Pak Samad". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
^ "Ketua Hakim Negara dahului senarai penerima darjah kebesaran P Pinang". Bernama (in Malay). Malaysiakini. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2019.