A. Samad Said

A. Samad Said

A. Samad Said, April 2008
Born 9 April 1935
Durian Tunggal, Malacca, Straits Settlement
Occupation Novelist
Nationality Malaysian

Abdul Samad bin Mohamed 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.

Education

A native of the Malaccan 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.

Achievements

  1. Pejuang Sastera (1976)
  2. SEA Write Award (1979)
  3. Sasterawan Negara (1985)
  4. 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.

  • Salina
  • Bulan Tak Bermadu di Fatehpur Sikri
  • Sungai Mengalir Lesu
  • Di Hadapan Pulau
  • Langit Petang
  • Daerah Zeni
  • Benih Harapan
  • Benih Semalu
  • Daun Semalu Pucuk Paku
  • Warkah Eropah
  • Al-Amin
  • Suara Dari Dinding Dewan
  • Hujan Pagi
  • Lantai T Pinkie
  • Wira Bukit
  • Adik Datang
  • Cinta Fansuri

Involvement in Bersih 2.0

In 2011, A. Samad Said, together with former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan and other activists, helped organise 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 9 July.

Sources