A. Samad Said
Encyclopedia
Abdul Samad bin Muhammad Said, pen name
A. Samad Said (born 9 April 1935) is a Malaysian poet and novelist who, in May 1976, was named by Malay literature communities and many of the country's linguists as the Pejuang Sastera [Literary Exponent] receiving, within the following decade, the 1979 Southeast Asia Write Award and, in 1986, in appreciation of his continuous writings and contributions to the nation's literary heritage, or Kesusasteraan Melayu, the title Sasterawan Negara.
n Kampung village of Belimbing Dalam, near the town of Durian Tunggal
, young Abdul Samad completed his primary education during the World War II
years of 1940–46 at Singapore
's Sekolah Melayu Kota Raja (Kota Raja Malay School). During the wartime occupation of Malaya and Singapore by the Japanese Empire, he attended the occupying authorities' Sekolah Jepun school for a brief three-month period. Upon the war's conclusion, he furthered his studies at Singapore's Victoria School
, graduating in 1956 with Senior Cambridge Certificate. Although starting as a clerk in a hospital, he was soon able to achieve his ambition of becoming a full-time writer in Utusan Melayu, Warta Tebrau
and Berita Harian
, authoring numerous poems and short stories in the years to come.
and other activists, helped organize the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform in Malaysia. The rally was heavily opposed by the Malaysian government, and more than a thousand activists were arrested by police during the rally on July 9. A. Samad Said - barefoot, after losing his footwear in the commotion caused by the use of tear gas by the police - led a group of 200 protesters through a police blockade in order to present a memorandum to the Agong
at the National Palace. The police managed to stop him just 200 meters from the palace gates. Before the rally, the government also filed sedition charges against Samad Said and other leaders of the Bersih
coalition of NGOs.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
A. Samad Said (born 9 April 1935) is a Malaysian poet and novelist who, in May 1976, was named by Malay literature communities and many of the country's linguists as the Pejuang Sastera [Literary Exponent] receiving, within the following decade, the 1979 Southeast Asia Write Award and, in 1986, in appreciation of his continuous writings and contributions to the nation's literary heritage, or Kesusasteraan Melayu, the title Sasterawan Negara.
Education
A native of the MalaccaMalacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
n Kampung village of Belimbing Dalam, near the town of Durian Tunggal
Durian Tunggal
Durian Tunggal is a small town in Malacca, Malaysia. It is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Hang Tuah Jaya and the district of southern Alor Gajah....
, young Abdul Samad completed his primary education during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years of 1940–46 at Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's Sekolah Melayu Kota Raja (Kota Raja Malay School). During the wartime occupation of Malaya and Singapore by the Japanese Empire, he attended the occupying authorities' Sekolah Jepun school for a brief three-month period. Upon the war's conclusion, he furthered his studies at Singapore's Victoria School
Victoria School
Victoria School in Singapore is a government secondary school for boys, founded in 1876, at Siglap Link, about one kilometre from affiliated Victoria Junior College....
, graduating in 1956 with Senior Cambridge Certificate. Although starting as a clerk in a hospital, he was soon able to achieve his ambition of becoming a full-time writer in Utusan Melayu, Warta Tebrau
Tebrau
Tebrau or Teberau is a largest mukim in Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia.-Townships:*Bandar Dato' Onn*Adda Heights*Taman Delima*Taman Daya*Setia Indah*Taman Mount Austin*Desa Tebrau*Taman Istimewa*Taman Bukit Mutiara...
and Berita Harian
Berita Harian
Berita Harian is a major Malay language newspaper in Malaysia. Its Sunday Edition is called Berita Minggu. It was founded on 31 August 1957, which also marks the date of Malaya's independence...
, authoring numerous poems and short stories in the years to come.
Achievements
- Pejuang Sastera (1976)
- SEA Write Award (1979)
- Sasterawan Negara (1985)
- Sasterawan Nusantara (1999)
Works
Among his anthologies are Suara Dari Dinding Dewan (2003) and Dirgahayu Dr. Mahathir & Rindu Ibu (2004). His most recent anthology of essays is Ilham Di Tepi Tasik (2006). A. Samad Said is also known as Hilmy, Isa Dahmuri, Jamil Kelana, Manja, Mesra and Shamsir.
|
|
Involvement in Bersih 2.0
In 2011, A. Samad Said, together with former Bar Council president Ambiga SreenevasanAmbiga Sreenevasan
Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan is a Malaysian lawyer who served as the President of the Malaysian Bar Council from 2007 to 2009. She is a former student of Convent Bukit Nanas and served as the Head Prefect in 1975....
and other activists, helped organize the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform in Malaysia. The rally was heavily opposed by the Malaysian government, and more than a thousand activists were arrested by police during the rally on July 9. A. Samad Said - barefoot, after losing his footwear in the commotion caused by the use of tear gas by the police - led a group of 200 protesters through a police blockade in order to present a memorandum to the Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
at the National Palace. The police managed to stop him just 200 meters from the palace gates. Before the rally, the government also filed sedition charges against Samad Said and other leaders of the Bersih
Bersih
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections or Bersih is a coalition of non-governmental organisations with the aim of revising the current electoral system to ensure fair elections in Malaysia.-2007 Bersih rally:...
coalition of NGOs.