A Sense Of Home (Opening sequence of a novel in progress)

Mama died two nights ago. Very quietly. No one expected. We were surprises because she\u27s awways so ... noisy. Dono wy but I diden cry much. In fac, I tink I feel ... diffren ... maybe like more free. Anyway, she never love me much la. I know because she even tole somebody, in fron of me. I only love der boys, she said. Der girl I hat

PEACE, PROGRESS, PROSPERITY

Be silent. That\u27s the passport for peace. The country belongs to those who shut their minds, learn to unlearn what they once believed, apply their PhDs to save their own skins. The country still thrives, with little yes-men trying to act big — \u27no, this cannot; no, that is too sensitive, shut up, you\u27re a dog barking at a hill!\u27 In years to come, we may completely lose our voices, but our skins will be just as thin

Sharing a Commonwealth in Malaysia

What is meant by \u27sharing a commonwealth in Malaysia\u27 as pertains to literature? I shall address it from the point of view of the writer. And because I am a writer writing in English rather than Malay, which is the national language, my views will be coloured by that bias. To me, writers share a commonwealth if they feel they belong to a community that ensures equal rights for all; provides them with nurture, support, even funding; accords them official recognition — in short, makes them feel wanted. In Malaysia, such a commonwealth does exist but for those who write in the national language. Only their works are considered \u27national literature\u27, as distinct from literatures in other languages, which are termed \u27sectional\u27 or \u27communal\u27 literatures. In practice, this means that \u27sectional\u27 or \u27communal\u27 literatures do not enjoy support, funding or recognition from official sources, despite the fact that they are no less Malaysian in substance and expression. They are not officially promoted; neither are they recognised for the intellectual and creative contributions that they make to the national culture and imagination

Singapore 1994-1996: Bibliographies

10.1177/002200949803300306The Journal of Commonwealth Literature333134-15