The Malaysian Nobel

So why aren't Malay language authors winning the Nobel Prize for Literature? Utusan Malaysia asks the question and consults a couple of experts in academia.

And if I understand this correctly (and remember my Malay is baaaad), the writer seems to come away with the impression it's all about successfully promoting the product.

I'm no expert, but I suspect that there might be a little more to it than that.

I rather think that you need an author who speaks not only to the concerns of the nation, but also to the hearts and minds of international audience.

The Nobel has also a strong political element. How many Malay language authors are prepared to fight in some sense for social justice?

And did I mention, the author should also be not only a good, but a truly great writer and usually one who has produced an impressive body of work?

Anyone spring to mind who fits the bill?

The Malaysian Nobel for Literature is actually a concern that keeps resurfacing and seems to really bother the literary establishment (as does the desire to win the prize in other fields too). Is it a mere kiasu twitch?

The situation seems to be paralleled elsewhere: Julia Lovell wrote a whole book about China's preoccupation with the prize and perhaps in this country also:

... the Nobel complex reveals the pressure points in an intellectual community not entirely sure of itself.

Cecil Rajendran I think is the only Malaysian to have been nominated so far. The Utusan article doesn't even mention him. It doesn't even seem to want to even consider the fact that a Malaysian Nobel prize winner might write in a language other than Malay!

Cecil in the Pub

NST columnist Kathirasen writes an account of Cecil Rajendra's end of litfest poetry reading and party at Ronnie Q's, which I'm sad I missed.

...only a handful of Malaysians are into poetry ...

says Kathirasen. I'd like to point out that had he been a couple of miles up the road at exactly the same time he would have seen 200 people crowded into a small space to hear Benjamin Zephaniah. Poetry is alive and kicking in KL and getting very good audiences these days - in case anyone hadn't noticed!

I enjoyed Kathirasen's account of the poetry that was read that night and went looking for The Animal & Insect Act online in full and found it here. Apparently:

There was uproarious applause for this poem, an indication, indubitably, of the feelings of those present.

And this, of course, is Cecil Rajendra's great strength, reflecting the zeitgeist of the country and using poetry as a platform for social comment. He's critical because, as he says, he cares about Malaysia:

if i did not care
i would not dare
chart your many imperfections
i would sing
only your praises
picking the best
ignoring the rest

Nice One Cecil!

I read the Sun's very entertaining interview with Cecil Rajendra (poet, writer, lawyer, crusader for human rights) on the flight back from Manila. Hadn't realised that he'd been nominated for this year's Nobel - now, that's really something.

I find the literary scene here much too incestuous and inward looking. ... it lacks what I call "testicular fortitude".

he says. Wonder what he'd make of the Saturday readings?

He's currently working on two books - both of which sound extremely interesting. The first is about the legendary stripper Rose Chan whom he came to know towards the end of her life when she was dying of cancer. The second is entitled The Secret Journal Of A Tantric which he doesn't think will be published here in a country:

... so sexually uptight that it views homosexuality as a threat to the nation. Incidentally, I have never quite figured out how a gay minister is a greater threat to the nation than a corrupt minister.

Nice one!