THE PRICELESS POT OF GOLD

Adibah Amin’s first novel in English was in bookstores on 6^th November 2006. The title of the novel is This End of the Rainbow, it is about a group of young people at the University of Malaya in the 1950s which happened to be Adibah’s first year in college.

“No, it’s not really autobiographical,” says one of the most famous and well-loved names in Malaysian journalism. “I took bits here and there, from friends and from my own experiences. Mostly you will find hybrid characters.”

The book focuses on college life, with some flashbacks on the childhood of the characters. The lighthearted aspects are shown – ragging, clowning about, making friends – but Adibah also delves into the youths’ deeper concerns.

Teenagers during that era were just awakening to the struggle for independence, especially in Malaya, and were asking questions about their rights, social justice, racial prejudice and colonialism. They were merely young and trying to figure out the meaning of life.”

Adibah admits that she may be making a comment about the current state of increasing racial polarisation in Malaysian society. For her, sometimes to write about the past means to comment about the present.

In an interview Adibah Amin said, “Actually people say that there was no division then, but it is not true. Racial harmony was a concern even in the early days. People may have been closer but it was more in pockets of society, for example in the schools and colleges, or the workplace. But in general, Malaysians were still worried and wary. They still recalled the trouble between the Malays and Chinese in 1945, in Batu Pahat and Seri Petani.” (The Sunday Star, 2006)

Adibah felt that truly good relations between the different races in Malaysia could come about only if there was open and honest discussion.

For her, it’s not enough to just celebrate the festivals together. For so long Malaysians have been avoiding sensitive issues because of the 1969 riots, but that is not the answer. We can’t overcome anything if there is no discussion. Problems have to be thrashed out over concerns. We have to sit down and discuss honestly what can be done. What we mustn’t do is gloss over the relationship. It is about more than just meeting to eat together during Raya.

In the preface to her novel, Adibah writes: “I pray that all of us in our own ways will work towards the ‘pot of gold’ on the other side of the rainbow: our shared dream of lasting harmony.”

She chose to write about this particular period in time because the events and people at that time have been in her mind for so many years now and finally she is brave enough to allow them to see the light of day.”

In fact, she started writing this book when she was 16 and developed it over several decades. “I have been keeping bits and pieces in a large box all these years.”

She finally completed the final draft of This End of the Rainbow last year, after more than 50 years of working on it in fits and starts. Will it be the first of many novels in English?

“That depends on a lot of things,” laughs Adibah, who adds that the first one is always the hardest to get out!

Although an experienced, admired and iconic wordsmith, she has not considered sending her work to international publishers. “I hardly had the courage to send it to a local publisher!”

However, she believes that Malaysia does produce world-class literature.

“We are not recognised in that field because not many are writing in English. Also our authors are not promoted enough.”

Adibah agrees that one way to do this is to have good English translations of Malay novels as well as active promotion of the books.

“I translated Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan by Ahmad Shahnon and it was on the Top 10 list in Australia, but nothing further happened after that.

“I wish more people would write. I think there are those who have talent but just don’t know it and don’t develop it.”

Her advice for young writers is to “live a lot, read a lot but don’t be influenced by others’ styles, mix with lots of people, observe all the time. And don’t tear up your efforts.”

She also stresses the importance of developing a “thick hide” as being discouraged by criticism is a huge stumbling block in this line.

“I do feel though that, ultimately, it’s not up to you to say if you have talent. It’s up to the public.”