tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post116890532375135650..comments2024-01-06T00:28:45.062+08:00Comments on Bibliobibuli: A Malaysian Literature?bibliobibulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456636355933524132noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-35171827809021069742008-07-25T22:22:00.000+08:002008-07-25T22:22:00.000+08:00I love literature. Period.It's like a cat clawing ...I love literature. Period.<BR/>It's like a cat clawing hard.<BR/>Chasing a ball of yarn.<BR/>Get entangled.<BR/>Messy.<BR/>That's MLIE.<BR/><BR/>So cool!<BR/><BR/>I Love Huzir Sulaiman, please write more!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169388392800364972007-01-21T22:06:00.000+08:002007-01-21T22:06:00.000+08:00mr x - there is reason in your words and poetry in...mr x - there is reason in your words and poetry in the saying of them. please articlise this and elarti it for my reading pleasure.bibliobibulihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456636355933524132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169211902101177382007-01-19T21:05:00.000+08:002007-01-19T21:05:00.000+08:00Hi Fei. Have e-mailed you.Hi Fei. Have e-mailed you.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169174955443954512007-01-19T10:49:00.000+08:002007-01-19T10:49:00.000+08:00Ruhayat,Can you give me your contact number or ema...Ruhayat,<BR/><BR/>Can you give me your contact number or email? Maybe i can try to linked you guys with some of the chinese writers I know. <BR/>my email: shauafui@gmail.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169107078653276222007-01-18T15:57:00.000+08:002007-01-18T15:57:00.000+08:00I mean, unless we've been taking the Government's ...I mean, unless we've been taking the Government's TDC pills, what is really so different about the Malaysian experience? Underneath the details, the themes are more or less the same as everywhere else. In fact, the thing that always strikes me about travelling to other countries is just how similar we all are.<BR/><BR/>Humanity, despite the apparent illusion of progress, really hasn't come that far in the last 4,000 years. If I hadn't taken my pills this morning, I'd even say we're moving backwards all the time.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169106374256593982007-01-18T15:46:00.000+08:002007-01-18T15:46:00.000+08:00I blame the Renaissance, as usual. With a little h...I blame the Renaissance, as usual. With a little help from Darwinism and its handy pocket manual on how to survive in the genepool. The exaltation of the Individual and individual rights, leading to the Industrial Revolution to satisfy pent up lustful desires of newly empowered and enriched individuals, eventually creating a tremendous sense of dislocation and disorientation due to the mechanical natures of production imposed on hundreds of millions of souls, fortified by the sense of alienation erected by artificial national boundaries that freedom demands, prevents some people from thinking in a wider context and seeking out safe pockets that permit easy definition thereby enabling them to quickly "know" who they are. We all just want to feel a sense of belonging, after all.<BR/><BR/>I'm only half serious.<BR/><BR/>I say write what you feel like writing and in the language that is either comfortable or attractive to you. Let the academics and reviewers sort it out, post event. Even within the context of this forum, pocketable terms such as "Indian" (Malayalam? Singhalese? Classical? Modern? Hindu? Indo-Islamic?) or "African" (West? Central? South? Afro-Islamic? Afro-Christian?) literature, I find ridiculous and not very useful. <BR/><BR/>Here's an idea: why not just call it Literature and leave it at that?Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169076690774833642007-01-18T07:31:00.000+08:002007-01-18T07:31:00.000+08:00"malaysian" literature, ruhayat? yes, we go back t..."malaysian" literature, ruhayat? yes, we go back to what wong phui nam said the other day - about how you cannot legislate a "national" literature into existence<BR/><BR/>but i'd like to see writing by other language communities made accessible. elarti would be a great avenue for it ...<BR/><BR/>what you said about what we need ruhayat is so true. intend to pick this up in another blog post ...bibliobibulihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456636355933524132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169059949142430692007-01-18T02:52:00.000+08:002007-01-18T02:52:00.000+08:00Malaysians write Malaysian in any language. Let th...Malaysians write Malaysian in any language. Let the academics sort it out. Let the politicians talk talk talk it out. Readers are born every minute, and they should call it whatever they want.<BR/><BR/>Who will put 'it' in their hands?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169042283563144322007-01-17T21:58:00.000+08:002007-01-17T21:58:00.000+08:00"It would be very hard for any aspiring writer to ..."It would be very hard for any aspiring writer to escape from the walls of his ethnic prison. The object of his concern is largely limited to his life-experience within his ethnic enclave. His theme, narrative, and the tonality of his treatment are almost bound to be ethnic biased."<BR/><BR/>Pretty much what I was saying at KL Writer's Circle back then.Edmund Yeohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686957805877313432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169011726834878392007-01-17T13:28:00.000+08:002007-01-17T13:28:00.000+08:00On another note, yes, I'd be desperately intereste...On another note, yes, I'd be desperately interested to feature writings translated from the Chinese and Tamil (into either English or Malay) in the next issue of Elarti.<BR/><BR/>Anyone?<BR/><BR/>Mail it to: projek.elarti [at] gmail dot com<BR/><BR/>Cheers.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169010649733291852007-01-17T13:10:00.000+08:002007-01-17T13:10:00.000+08:00Animah,maybe so but, uh, that's all he said, actua...Animah,<BR/><BR/>maybe so but, uh, that's all he said, actually. I'm out of practice lah.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169010522580337402007-01-17T13:08:00.000+08:002007-01-17T13:08:00.000+08:00Oooh. How terribly elitist. So people who read Nov...Oooh. How terribly elitist. So people who read Novel Remaja Melayu are not able to upgrade their mental skills to meet the tewwibly intewwectual demands of the "serious" books, nor do they have the desire to?<BR/><BR/>Hm. I should still be reading Hardy Boys books, in that case.<BR/><BR/>I dunno. If you ask me, I think it's attitudes like this that prevents them from venturing out in the first place.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169007399199030392007-01-17T12:16:00.000+08:002007-01-17T12:16:00.000+08:00Ruhayat X, Your Khalid Jaafar interview was too sh...Ruhayat X, Your Khalid Jaafar interview was too short. It was riveting and should have gone on for at least another 4 pages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169003367428558272007-01-17T11:09:00.000+08:002007-01-17T11:09:00.000+08:00Dear anonymous,bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch {do a study...Dear anonymous,<BR/><BR/>bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch {do a study} bitch-bitch-bitch some more. <BR/><BR/>Jesus Christ!Sufianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05920865973263896241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1169001404989199162007-01-17T10:36:00.000+08:002007-01-17T10:36:00.000+08:00it is naive to think that just because malay roman...it is naive to think that just because malay romance novels are flying off the shelves, there are readers out there who would appreciate the kinds of books this forum talks about (in that i mean ones that add value to one's self/worldview). you must differentiate between why this particular group read and what they read, dont lump them together with all readers. these books are mills and boons at best. i am not a proponent of 'at least it gets them reading', this group hardly graduates to more substantial material, if they are not reading they are watching akademi fantasi, or at best sappy telenovelas. what does that say then that malaysian readers only read self improvement / get rich or melodramatic , puppy love stories? we've got some way to go still...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168968957256637382007-01-17T01:35:00.000+08:002007-01-17T01:35:00.000+08:00And one more thing...Hehehe I got away from my min...And one more thing...<BR/><BR/>Hehehe I got away from my minders, didn't I...<BR/><BR/>"Malaysian" literature? Who gives a crap? <BR/><BR/>Was Marquez thinking of creating Latin American literature when he wrote? Was Kundera thinking of creating Eastern European literature? Or Achebe African? Or Mahfouz Arabic? Or... you get the picture.<BR/><BR/>How terribly orientalist of us natives.<BR/><BR/>Stop thinking about creating literature, and we might do just that, in the end.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168967788181249052007-01-17T01:16:00.000+08:002007-01-17T01:16:00.000+08:00And re: readership (or assumed lack thereof), as K...And re: readership (or assumed lack thereof), as Khalid Jaafar said in (ahem) my interview with him*: that hundreds of thousands of Malay romance novels are flying off the shelves would indicate that the readers are indeed there. Maybe what's really missing are the rest of the textual ecosystem: quality writers, quality publishers, savvy marketeers, publishers who aren't afraid to create markets, etc.<BR/><BR/>The trouble is this: Assuming that the readers are out there, what we need then are a horde of writers writing. But for them to write there needs to be a flank of publishers willing to publish with as little as possible censorship. But for publishers to take such a gamble, the distribution channel needs to be efficient and wide enough for them to ensure that they can make money off their ventures. And for the distributors to be convinced to take on these lofty projects, the reading market needs to be there...<BR/><BR/>See the problem? We can go on with this loop ad infinium, and lo and behold, 20 years from now nothing will have changed. Not an inch. My now 1-year old niece will probably still be bitching about the exact same things when she's 21 (if she reads).<BR/><BR/>No good "Malaysian" books to read? Well, come out with your own then. Not enough translated books out there? Well, translate it yourself then. Not enough writers out there? Well, set up writing classes like Sharon does then. DO the parts that you can DO, and it will all be alright. Trust me, self-empowerment is better than depending on the Malay Mail hotline everytime our drains back up.<BR/><BR/>Okay. I'll go take my pills now.<BR/><BR/>-----<BR/>*Read it all in Elarti magazine!Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168966523138442902007-01-17T00:55:00.000+08:002007-01-17T00:55:00.000+08:00Point:"sadly you hardly find any writings in malay...Point:<BR/>"sadly you hardly find any writings in malay these days that are not parochial inn nature..."<BR/><BR/>Point:<BR/>"Writers should not be forced to write in a particular language - whether English or Malay, but should write in whatever language and style they are comfortable - even if its rojak."<BR/><BR/>Point:<BR/>"can it happen when real integration still seems a dream?"<BR/><BR/>Hello. Yoo-hoo! I'm here, right under your noses. Can you see me?<BR/><BR/>Ahem. As I was saying. Elarti and Wilayah Kutu. Now, if only someone would go out and buy the damn things by the boatload...<BR/><BR/>To those who have yet to have a copy grace their bookshelves, yes I can confirm: it's a whole lot more fun than navel-gazing. Even IF said navel is pierced.<BR/><BR/>Come on, isn't it time we moved the dialogue to something actually CONCRETE rather than just merely constructive?<BR/><BR/>That's right: I take my glove off and slap you across your collective cheeks.Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168945445295658512007-01-16T19:04:00.000+08:002007-01-16T19:04:00.000+08:00i think to be able to know what happens to other w...i think to be able to know what happens to other writing community is important. For me,a chinese educated person, I don't know much about malay and english writing scene in Malaysia, i think for the malay and tamil or english educated person are quite the same. <BR/><BR/>we have to admit that we have a language barrier here and due to the bias and stereotype we had on other community, it's hard for the writer to write something 'malaysian'. And what is 'something malaysian'?<BR/><BR/>But I think some efforts had been done, a chinese lecturer from UKM often translates work of Malay writers into chinese which published in chinese daily newspaper's lit section, I think this is one of the way for us to get to know what writers from other community writes. <BR/><BR/>After all, we are malaysian, we do have some common experiences, but how do we get ppl from different race or writer who write with different language to share their work, this is where the translation should come in. In fact, the Dewan bahasa dan Pustaka has a translation dept, but it isn't function very well in translating the work of local writer into other language.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168943596244652412007-01-16T18:33:00.000+08:002007-01-16T18:33:00.000+08:00animah said everything i wanted to say too. you c...animah said everything i wanted to say too. you can't say "should" about choice of language. what is necessary is a sharing of what we write, and an acknowledgment that everyone's swimming in the same fish bowl (to continue my favourite analogy) and has bubbles of wisdom to impart to the others. am so happy to see in elarti and in the readings folks from both english and malay writing backgrounds coming together. but yes, we don't know what is happening in other language communities.<BR/><BR/>a malaysian literature to me would result in fiction that featured characters from not just a single race with walk on parts for writers of other races. without (and this is the tough part) racial stereotyping. a literature which addressed the issues here that need to be addressed and aimed principally at a malaysian readership. (it's an ideal, 'cos as Sim points out, where got readership here???)<BR/><BR/>can it happen when real integration still seems a dream? perhaps that makes writing more important!<BR/><BR/>just my bubbles.bibliobibulihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456636355933524132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168941114431069802007-01-16T17:51:00.000+08:002007-01-16T17:51:00.000+08:00Well said, Animah. Agree with you.Well said, Animah. Agree with you.Sufianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05920865973263896241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168938791126891912007-01-16T17:13:00.000+08:002007-01-16T17:13:00.000+08:00[Reference to shameful plug]Actually Elarti (Nativ...[Reference to shameful plug]<BR/>Actually Elarti (Nativity featuring Foot of Unknown Woman) is quite good actually. Actually<BR/>It is available at Silverfish and other R X approved outlets.<BR/>If you are not in Klang Valley, please contact Ruhayat X who will let you know how in his next shameless plug.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168935724843022992007-01-16T16:22:00.000+08:002007-01-16T16:22:00.000+08:00Well said, Animah. Agree with you.Well said, Animah. Agree with you.Lydia Tehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10477088362900591404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168935562303819232007-01-16T16:19:00.000+08:002007-01-16T16:19:00.000+08:00[begin shameful plug]Obviously, lots of people nee...[begin shameful plug]<BR/><BR/>Obviously, lots of people need to buy and read Elarti magazine. AND Wilayah Kutu.<BR/><BR/>[end of shameful plug]Ruhayat Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01266673988187025383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912730.post-1168923430166151862007-01-16T12:57:00.000+08:002007-01-16T12:57:00.000+08:00We need to acknowledge, accept and celebrate our d...We need to acknowledge, accept and celebrate our diversity. Writers should not be forced to write in a particular language - whether English or Malay, but should write in whatever language and style they are comfortable - even if its rojak. Do we put rules on the medium artists use? No. So why should we dicate to writers?<BR/><BR/>If a Malaysian writer is most comfortable writing in his/her mother tongue - it could be Tamil -then write in that language. The next question is how to make that piece of work accessible to non Tamil speakers/readers. Well, translate. We should be producing a pool of translators from all langauges in Malaysia into English/Malay.<BR/><BR/>We can find so many translated works of Garcia Marquez, Satre,Goethe - but what of our own local works in Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, or other languages. Do we not want to share this among ourselves and the rest of the world?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com