Salleh Ben Joned

Last updated
Salleh Ben Joned
Born(1941-07-05)5 July 1941
Died29 October 2020(2020-10-29) (aged 79)
Occupation(s)Poet, writer
Notable workSajak-Sajak Salleh – Poems Sacred and Profane, The Amok of Mat Solo

Salleh Ben Joned (5 July 1941 - 29 October 2020) was a Malaysian poet, who some have called the "bad boy of Malaysian literature". [1]

Contents

Early life

Salleh was born in Melaka on 5 July 1941, where he later attended the Malacca High School. [2] He received a Colombo Plan scholarship in 1963 to study English literature in Australia, where he studied first in Adelaide, then at the University of Tasmania where he was a student of James McAuley. [3]

Career

After returning to Malaysia in 1973, Salleh taught English literature at the University of Malaya, before becoming a freelance writer in 1983. [3] He was also a columnist for the New Straits Times in the 1980s and 1990s. [4] His works include Sajak-Sajak Salleh – Poems Sacred and Profane and The Amok of Mat Solo. [5] His work often employed apparent profanity and blasphemy to criticise contemporary political and religious ideologies in Malaysia; in 1974 he publicly urinated at an art exhibition in response to what he saw as its pretentiousness. [6] An essay written by Salleh explaining his rationale for this 'performance art' was later included in texts on art history. [7]

Death

Salleh died at the age of 79 from heart failure at 1:21 am on 29 October 2020 at the University Malaya Medical Centre. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Malaya</span>

The Universiti Malaya is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of higher education, and was the only university in newly independent Malaya. The university has graduated five prime ministers of Malaysia, and other political, business, and cultural figures of national prominence.

<i>Pantun</i> Malay poetic form

Pantun is a Malayic oral poetic form used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It generally consists of even-numbered lines and based on ABAB rhyming schemes. The shortest pantun consists of two lines better known as the pantun dua kerat in Malay, while the longest pantun, the pantun enam belas kerat have 16 lines. Pantun is a disjunctive form of poetry which always come in two parts, the first part being the prefatory statement called pembayang or sampiran that has no immediate logical or the narrative connection with the second or closing statement called maksud or isi. However, they are always connected by the rhymes and other verbal associations, such as puns and repeating sounds. There is also an oblique but necessary relationship and the first statement often turns out to be a metaphor for the second one. The most popular form of pantun is the quatrain, and the couplet (two-lines), which both featured prominently in the literature and modern popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Malaysia</span>

The Culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia. The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times. Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began with those countries, and increased with immigration to Malaysia. Other cultures that heavily influenced that of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic and British. The many different ethnicities that currently exist in Malaysia have their own unique and distinctive cultural identities, with some crossover.

Mat Salleh is a Malay term used as a colloquial expression to refer to white people. The exact origins of the expression are difficult to ascertain, due to there being several versions of the term's origin being passed down via word of mouth, with little or no official documentation to support such oral claims. The term arose during the colonial period of Malaysian history and is still commonly used.

Keris Mas, born Kamaluddin Muhamad, was a prominent Malaysian literary figure and was one of the founders of the Asas '50 literary movement. His numerous contributions to Malay language literature led him to become Malaysia's first National Laureate in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ungku Abdul Aziz</span> Malaysian economist (1922–2020)

Ungku Abdul Aziz bin Ungku Abdul Hamid was a Malaysian economist and university professor. He was the 3rd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya from 1968 to 1988 and the 1st General Director of the Council on Language and Literature of Malaysia from 1956 until 1957. He was the first to be awarded the title of Royal Professor in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian Malays</span> Ethnic group in Malaysia

Malaysian Malays are Malaysians of Malay ethnicity whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in the Malay world. According to the 2023 population estimate, with a total population of 17.6 million, Malaysian Malays form 57.9% of Malaysia's demographics, the largest ethnic group in the country. They can be broadly classified into two main categories; Anak Jati and Anak Dagang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib</span> Singaporean poet and writer

Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib is a poet and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usman Awang</span> Malaysian poet, playwright, novelist

Wan Osman Wan Awang, also known by his pen name Usman Awang was a Malaysian poet, playwright, novelist and Malaysian National Laureate (1983).

Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Kelantan was a Malay literary work of Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir. It was first published in 1838 in Singapore, and considered as the first Malay literary text being published commercially.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayness</span> Socio-political term

Malayness is the state of being Malay or of embodying Malay characteristics. This may include that which binds and distinguishes the Malay people and forms the basis of their unity and identity. People who call themselves Malay are found in many countries in Southeast Asia, united by a notional shared identity but divided by political boundaries, divergent histories, variant dialects and peculiarities of local experience. While the term 'Malay' is widely used and readily understood in the region, it remains open to varying interpretations due to its varied and fluid characteristics. 'Malay' as an identity, or nationality, is considered one of the most challenging and perplexing concepts in the multi-ethnic world of Southeast Asia.

Wong Phui Nam was a Malaysian economist and poet. Born to a Peranakan family in Kuala Lumpur, Wong began learning English at age 9. He became interested in poetry, and while studying at the University of Malaya Singapore campus he wrote English language poetry while participating in a student literary magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Town Literary Festival</span>

The George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) is an annual literary festival which takes place in the city of George Town, Penang, Malaysia. It is currently the largest world literature festival organised in Malaysia and the first literary event in Southeast Asia to receive the Literary Festival Award at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards.

Tun Mohamed Salleh bin Ismael was the second Inspector-General of Police of Malaysia, and the first Asian and ethnic Malay to hold the position, taking office on 29 March 1966. His predecessor was Claude Fenner. His work resulted in the "Salleh System", as well as the National Police Cadets and the Police Volunteer Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rahimidin Zahari</span> Malaysian poet

Rahimidin Zahari was a Malaysian poet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Kamal Abdullah</span> Malaysian writer (1941–2021)

Ahmad Kamal Abdullah was a Malaysian poet, novelist, playwright, literary critic and Malaysian National Laureate (2011). He was known under the pseudonym Kemala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raja Rajeswari Setha Raman</span> Malaysian poet and translator (born 1961)

Raja Rajeswari Setha Raman is a Malaysian poet and translator. She is Tamil by ethnicity. She is also a lecturer of the Teacher Education Institute, Malay Language Campus.

This article lists important figures and events in the public affairs of British Malaya during the year 1929, together with births and deaths of prominent Malayans.

Dr. Mohamed Ghazali bin Abdul Rashid or better known by his pen name Malim Ghozali PK was a Malaysian writer and laureate from Perak. He was crowned as the Sasterawan Perak in 2014. He authored a variety of literary works such as Novels and short stories. He also received numerous awards including the Southeast Asian Writers Award in 2013.

Malachi Edwin Vethamani is a Malaysian-born Indian poet, writer, editor, bibliographer, academic and critic.

References

  1. "Salleh Ben Joned: A Most Unlikely Malay (Part 1 of 2)". The History Listen. ABC Radio National. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  2. Goh, Daryl (29 Oct 2020). "Maverick Malaysian poet and writer Salleh Ben Joned dead at 79". The Star .[ page needed ]
  3. 1 2 "Maverick Malaysian poet and writer Salleh Ben Joned dead at 79". The Straits Times . 2020-10-29. ISSN   0585-3923.[ page needed ]
  4. 1 2 "Malaysian literary giant Salleh Ben Joned dies". New Straits Times . 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021.[ page needed ]
  5. Lee, Annabelle (2020-10-29). "Literary icon Salleh Ben Joned passes away, but his legacy lives on". Malaysiakini . Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  6. Ng, Andrew Hock Soon (2012). "The sacred profane in the poetry of Salleh Ben Joned" (PDF). Kajian Malaysia. 30 (Supp. 1). Universiti Sains Malaysia: 1–21.
  7. Flores, Patrick D.; Sabapathy, T. K. (November 11, 2024). The Modern in Southeast Asian Art - A Reader. National Gallery Singapore. pp. 1, 326. ISBN   9789811406645.