Page 19 - PULSE@FASS e-Bulletin 04_2020

Issue no. 4 | 2020

IN MEMORIAM

Salleh Ben Joned (1941-2020)

Final-year students and academic staff of the Department of English, UM, 1985 Salleh Ben Joned
(Salleh Ben Joned, seated fifth from the left)
BY ASSOCIATE PROF. DR. MARY
SUSAN PHILIP
2020 has been the cruelest year for the Malaysian literary
world, taking two seminal writers from us - K S Maniam in intriguing lecturer who taught him eighteenth-century
February, and Salleh Ben Joned just a couple of months English Literature. His first encounter with Salleh was in
ago, on October 29th. Salleh was a maverick, an actor, a Lecture Hall A. All the students were waiting for Encik
writer who made no compromises or apologies for the Salleh Ben Joned.
often difficult and uncomfortable ideas he shared in his
poetry. But to many of us from the English Department, Suddenly they heard the distinct clapping sound of
Salleh was first and foremost a teacher and colleague, and sandals from the back of the hall. Turning around, they
that is what I want to focus on here. saw a slim man in blue jeans and black shirt, and in
Japanese slippers, make his way down the stairs. He then
I joined the Department in 1985, a nervous first-year proceeded to sit cross-legged on the longish table in front
wondering what I had let myself in for. I was put in Salleh’s and began his lecture. The entrance was indeed dramatic
tutorial group for one course, and was immediately taken and sealed my friend Gerry’s impression that this was one
by his energy, his passion, and his sheer present-ness. He singular person. As time went on, Gerry and Salleh
was completely focused on us in class, and seemed to became friends, “kakis”, and the young undergraduate
genuinely want to draw ideas and thoughts out of us. spent many happy hours at Salleh’s house listening to
Such was his charisma that I felt, after that one class, that I rock music and discussing literature, music and life.
had made the right choice in joining the Department.
Sadly, just a couple of weeks later, he left the University When I joined the Department five years later as an
permanently. undergraduate, I was already filled with a mix of
anticipation and a little trepidation at meeting Salleh - but
Salleh was known for his sense of humour – as a satirist, what an interesting name he had! Our first meeting was in
he could turn it against others, but he was able to laugh at his office. As the group of us spilled into the small room,
himself as well. Fadzilah Amin, formerly of the English there he stood, dressed all in black (which I soon learnt
Department, recalls an occasion when the was his signature style), to greet us. Then nimbly he
undergraduates of the department decided to send cards jumped onto his desk and started his lecture on Alexander
to all the lecturers. These cards had literary quotations on Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” without looking at any
them. Salleh’s, much to his amusement, read “O Rose, notes. Just the book of poetry before him. He would
thou art sick”. suddenly stop, stare at one of us and ask a question in a
somewhat rough manner, and the student (all of us were
Associate Professor Carol Leon of the English Department so scared by then), would spurt out a response. Needless
says that word of his reputation reached her before she to say, I did not hear a word of that lecture that day. But
had even joined the Department. Her friend who had gradually we all started to admire this unique lecturer who
studied under him years before “used to talk about this taught so well on eighteenth-century literature. Pope,

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