By Zulkiple Ibrahim
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- The One Utama shopping complex in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya near here is a favourite hangout for youths to "chill out".
In this ultra modern complex, shoppers and visitors alike tend to come across groups of youths, particularly school students, can be seen walking along the corridors doing window shopping, having drinks at the numerous bistro-style fast food joints or simply huddled together on indoor benches, reading magazines and novels.
These reading materials range from fashion and sports magazines, right to Japanese mangas and American Marvel comics as well as imported novels.
The yuppies and some members of the middle age generation, at times, can be seen clutching magazines and books either on haute couture or haute cuisine.
ENGLISH NOVELS
A quick glance at the novels the students were reading found titles like the Lord Of The Ring and the Harry Porter series, or the "older generation" books like Tom Clancy`s Clear and Present Danger, Hunt For Red October and Red Storm Rising.
The girls can be seen giggling with the Mills and Boon or Dennis Robbins` romantic novels or the more "bolder" ones were glued to the works of authors Harold Robbins (Carpet Beggars, Adventurers) and Sidney Sheldon`s steamy The Other Side of Midnight.
It is very rare to find any of them holding Malay novels. This scenario is believed to be similar elsewhere, perhaps one may find a few individuals reading Malay romantic story books, not befitting to be tag as novels, in other shopping complexes within the city.
WHAT HAPPEN TO THE MALAY CLASSICS?
"The younger generation, especially the Malays, have lost touch with the Malay classics written by our great poets and national laureates, said former lecturer Abdollah Daud or "Cikgu Lah".
Abdollah reminisced growing up with novels like Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, Hikayat Hang Tuah, Hikayat Munsyi Abdullah and Puteri Lindungan Bulan Kedah Tuaas well as Panji Semirang.
The 60-year-old educationist who used to lecture on Malay literary works at the Teachers` Training College in Kota Baharu, Kelantan said he followed up with Hamka`s Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Vick, Merantau Ke Deli and Di Bawah Lembayung Kaabah that mostly dealt with Indonesia`s struggle for independence from the Dutch and poverty among the masses.
"Even though Hamka was an Indonesian, his works sparked my interest and that of my peers to venture `more` into Malay literature.
Abdollah goes glassy eyes with the mention of names like Shahnon Ahmad, who penned the classic Rentong, Usman Awang (Tulang-Tulang Berserakan), A Samad Said (Salina) and Anwar Ridhwan (Hari-Hari Terakhir Seorang Seniman).
GREAT POETS, GREAT WORKS
"We as Malaysians, must uphold the literary works of our great poets, so that these great works are not lost in time".
Abdollah said the younger generation should not be allowed to drift away with western reading materials, as this would not help them in the long run.
"Literary efforts from the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Somerset Maughan and Emily Bronte were really classics but culture and heritage wise, they have no relation to our own traditions," said Abdollah who admitted that he is a fan of these three great authors.
LEARN HISTORY BY READING NOVELS
Abdollah laments that the majority of school students and university undergraduates are missing the "pleasures" of journeying into the past by giving reading Malay classic novels a miss.
"Classics like (Hikayat) Merong Mahawangsa gives an insight to the setting up of a sultanate in old Kedah while Hikayat Munsyi Abdullah relates information on why William Farquhar demolished the Portuguese fortress A Famosa in Melaka and how Stamford Raffles discovered Singapore," he said.
He said by reading Sungai Mengalir Lesu and Patah Sayap Terbang Jua, students would have some idea on the sufferings of the Malayan population, especially the Malays during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War.
"It is a journey to explore the reality, not some science fiction work on far away galaxies, a fantasy on school of budding wizards or warriors and demons fighting for one ring," he said.
Source: www.bernama.com (18 April 2007)
