Malaysian literary pioneer Wong Phui Nam has died aged 87


Poet Wong Phui Nam seen in 2019 with a new version of his book 'The Hidden Papyrus Of Hen-Taui'. He died last night in Kuala Lumpur aged 87. Photo: The Star/Filepic

Wong Phui Nam, one of the revered Malaysian literary pioneers who helped to shape the local English language writing scene and elevate the art of poetry in South-East Asia, died in his sleep last night in Kuala Lumpur. He was 87.

The news was confirmed by fellow poet-author Malachi Edwin Vethamani.

Subscribe or renew your subscriptions to win prizes worth up to RM68,000!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Culture

Banana taped to a wall sells for US$6.2mil in New York
Malaysian artist Book of Lai's 'Tiny Moving Place' series is inspired by George Town heritage houses
The Old High Court building in KL gets a stunning digital art glow-up
'Manifest' is Cambridge Dictionary's 2024 word of the year
Japan's manga powerhouse 'Dragon Ball' turns 40 today
How a viral, duct-taped banana came to be worth US$1mil
Painting by artist Ren� Magritte shatters record price for any Surrealist work
Arthur Frommer, creator of 'Europe On 5 Dollars A Day' travel guides, dies at 95
Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa, master of modern free verse, dies at 92
Malaysian-born author’s debut is a sci-fi thriller spanning Earth and the cosmos

Others Also Read