I spent half a day with Salleh Ben Joned last week, driving to Sungei Penchala to look (unsuccessfuly, I might add) for a traditional Malay kampung house he once lived with his then Danish wife. Sungai Penchala has changed so much since the late 70's (it even has two sets of traffic lights now) that it has become virtually unrecognisable.
Having rojak at a roadside stall for lunch and meeting old friends at the University of Malaya's Academic Staff Association in the evening, Salleh was his ebullient self, holding court and standing his own.
I have known Salleh for at least 20 years now, from when he used to live in the University of Malaya flats off Jalan 16/1. Reading Nothing is Sacred has made me see him in a different light. Sure, we are friends and we talk about the usual mundane day-to-day stuff. But reading the book has made me realise the breadth and depth of his mastery of literature, especially poetry, not only in Malay and English, but also in other languages, too. And literature, as we all know, is about life ~ in all its glory, tragedy and comedy.
His As I Please columns are gems of social commentary. His rapier-like sardonic wit and command of the English language make him a world-class writer in my eyes.
My only wish is that he writes something soon for a wider (not just Malaysian) audience. Then, the whole world can benefit from and recognise his genius.
Clearly born ahead of his time and I suspect unappreciated in his tanah air, he is the sort of literary Columbus that needs a world audience to flourish and be truly appreciated.
Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice
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