Page 14 - 04/2022 PULSE@FASS e-Bulletin1

Issue no. 4 | 2022

The Literary Legacies of Salleh Ben Joned (1941-
2020) - Lloyd Fernando Seminar Series

By Dr. Fiona Lee
On 2 December 2022, the English Department held a
dialogue session with Dr. Anna Salleh and Jack Malik,
organized and moderated by Dr. Fiona Lee, to explore the
literary legacies of the Malay-English bilingual writer,
Salleh Ben Joned.

His published works include the bilingual Malay-English
poetry collection, Sajak-Sajak Saleh: Poems Sacred and
Profane; the play, ‘The Amok of Mat Solo’ (1987), and his
literary column in the New Straits Times, which ran from
1991 to 1995 (these essay were later compiled and
published under the titles, As I Please and Nothing is
Sacred. Salleh also published literary and cultural criticism
in Malay in Dewan Sastera in the 1970s. From 1973 to
1983, Salleh taught at UM’s English Department after
returning from his studies in Australia.

Since the mid-2010s, his eldest daughter, Anna, has been
running a blog and Facebook author page to showcase Dr. Anna Salleh
her father’s work. This online presence has proven
important for new readers, especially those of younger
generations, like the Malay contemporary poet, Jack, who
spoke about Salleh’s profound influence on his writing.
Anna, who has extensive experience in Australian radio
journalism, shared her process of creating a two-episode
podcast about Salleh, which highlighted his formative
years in 1960s Australia and his memorable career in
Malaysia from the 1970s to early 2000s.

The podcast is significant for highlighting how his personal
experiences and intellectual formation during his time
abroad shaped his understanding of the Malaysian cultural
landscape in the wake of the 1969 racial riots. Anna is
currently raising funds for the Salleh Ben Joned Literary
Legacy Project, which among other things will produce a
new book about Salleh’s work and his relationships with
others in the world of arts and literature.

Jack Malik reading a poem by Salleh Ben Joned
The dialogue session prompted an audience member who
was actively involved in the 1970s Malay-language arts
scene to share Salleh’s influence beyond the English-
speaking community despite the lack of recognition he
received from the Malay literary establishment.
Undergraduate students also highlighted how Salleh’s
work resonated with the contemporary moment. These
responses underscore the work that needs to be done in
researching and highlighting Malaysia’s multilingual
literary and cultural histories.
Right: A dialogue session between Dr. Anna Salleh,
Jack Malik, and Dr. Fiona Lee
14 | Pulse @ FASS