by Shameera Nair Lin

Growing up in Malaysia is a complicated experience, one that has most of us grasping for a specific tongue when trying to explain what it means to be Malaysian. In doing so, I often find myself oscillating between vivid descriptions of joyfully chaotic mamaks and just how explosively delightful our food can be. Food, however, is not the sum of our parts – we are a robust nation with varying cultures, ethnicities and practices. How do we begin listening to and appreciating the imbrications of voices around us? This Malaysia Day, perhaps reading the words of individuals you would not encounter in a day-to-day situation is one way of reaching out to our fellow Malaysians. Here are a few suggestions:

1. We, the Survivors by Tash Aw (Fourth Estate, 2019)

Aw’s gripping narrative recounts the story of Ah Hock, a man born in a Malaysian fishing village, recently released from prison after serving time for the murder of a Bangladeshi migrant worker. Capturing the inevitable trappings of class and race, We, the Survivors is a refreshing take on intersectionality that seeks to underscore underrepresented voices. 

2. Voices of the Displaced: Poems from the Malaysian Migrant Poetry Competition, 2015-2016 (Gerakbudaya, 2017)

Migrants are an integral part of the various narratives that constitute the Malaysia we see, but are often relegated to the periphery. Voices of the Displaced is an illuminating anthology of poetry, composed by migrant workers and refugees representing more than 10 languages – this is a collection that trawls beyond borders.

3. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (Myrmidon Books, 2012)

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the eventual winner of the Man Asian Literary Prize, Tan’s magnum opus sheds light on the unspoken horrors of the Japanese Occupation, as well as demonstrating how the relationship between the imperialist and the imperialised is a conflicted configuration. In writing this novel, Tan seeks to broaden general discourse surrounding the ‘unspeakability’ of traumatic experiences stemming from our painful history, emphasizing the importance of the Malaysian context in shaping the protagonist and her journey to reconciliation.

4. The Return by K.S. Maniam (Heinemann Asia, 1981)

In this gripping bildungsroman, we see the formative experiences of a young Indian boy, Ravi, as he navigates the insecure waters of growing up in colonial Malaya. This is a fascinating take on the Indian immigrant experience, set in the period within which Malaya transitions into Malaysia.

5. Atomic Jaya by Huzir Sulaiman, in Eight Plays (Silverfishbooks, 2002)

Atomic Jaya is – to put it simply – really funny lah. Bitingly satirical in a way that’s bound to induce a lot of laughter, Sulaiman’s wittily hyperbolic perspective concerning the traumatised legacies of Empire and Malaysia’s shaping of itself as a postcolonial nation continues to resonate until today.

Bonus recommendation: 

The Kampung Boy by Lat

Perhaps some of you have seen this familiar graphic on your television screens. I certainly did, and The Kampung Boy remains a fond childhood memory. Lat’s graphic novel sketches the story of Mat, a young Malay boy from a kampung in Perak, whose shenanigans often land him in more trouble than he is able to handle. If you need to remember the best of Malaysia, look no further.