The late Malaysian poet Salleh Ben Joned and his daughter Anna pose during a trip to Myanmar in 1979. Anna has established the Salleh Ben Joned Literary Legacy Project that will spearhead a diverse range of initiatives designed to preserve her father's legacy. Photo: Estate of Salleh Ben Joned
Salleh Ben Joned (1941-2020) was known as many things – a prominent Malaysian writer and poet, an outspoken intellectual, a boundary-breaking literary rebel. But to his eldest daughter Anna Salleh, he was "Abah" (father).
Salleh died in October 2020 at the age of 79, but his words continue to leave their mark.
Late last year, his signature book of poetry, Sajak-Sajak Saleh: Poems Sacred And Profane, was lovingly reprinted by Fixi Retro, and his works remain popular among Malaysians searching for meaning and identity.
Not long before Salleh’s death, Anna, an editor and journalist, was able to produce a two-part podcast series for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which chronicled the story of Salleh’s life from the perspective of those who knew him.
Salleh, a Colombo Plan scholar, spent more than 10 years studying and living in Tasmania, Australia, before returning to Kuala Lumpur in 1973.
Anna, who is based in Sydney, has made it her mission to preserve her father’s works through the Salleh Ben Joned Literary Legacy Project, beginning with an upcoming book collecting Salleh’s poetry and excerpts of his prose, and supplemented by stories that illustrate and celebrate the relationships he had with people in the arts and literature community in Malaysia and abroad.
Anna has spent over six months on this book project, including making a visit to Kuala Lumpur late last year to meet and reconnect with the people who knew her father, going back to his childhood years in Melaka and his student days at the Malacca High School.
“The countless hours involved in putting the book together has been an incredible journey of research,” shared Anna in a recent interview, adding that her father’s influence had touched so many people from all walks of life, so she was still discovering new material that was worthy of inclusion in the book.
Salleh Ben Joned seen during an interview session at his home library in Subang Jaya in 2003. Photo: Filepic/The Star
The publication will feature personal insights - from the past and present - on Salleh and his works from notable arts and culture personalities, such as poet and painter Latiff Mohidin, cartoonist Lat, dancers Ramli Ibrahim and Azanin Ahmad, writer Adibah Amin, the legendary poet and editor Usman Awang, actor-playwright Syed Alwi Syed Hassan, American poet Robert Creeley, and Australian poet A.D. Hope.
It will also include the contemporary generation of artists and poets, such as Sharon Chin and Jack Malik, who were inspired by Salleh’s works.
Anna was motivated to put together the book after she saw the outpouring of tributes for Salleh following his death.
“My father never had this kind of recognition while he was alive, thanks to his independence of mind, ‘brutal honesty’ and tendency to poke fun at the powerful.”
“Yet his bilingual poetic brilliance, and his playful and well-read provocations on taboos like race and religion, are still relevant to Malaysia today,” she said.
Fixi Retro's reprint of Salleh's signature poetry book last year, with a new introduction by poet Jack Malik and a new cover by artist Shika Corona. Photo: Fixi Retro
When asked which memories of her father stuck with her the most, Anna said, “Words were my father's life, so there were so many things he said and wrote that have stuck with me. One of his favourite sayings was 'carpe diem' – Latin for 'seize the day’. It’s something I try to do as much as I am able.”
She added that Semalam di Malaya was his favourite song and that he always liked to say that "Malaya" means "freedom" in Tagalog.
“Even to the end, I felt ‘Abah’ and I could connect beyond words through the love of good food and music, like the intangible essence of a good poem,” said Anna.
Whether you’re familiar with Salleh’s work or newly-introduced, Anna’s book, which is expected to be published later this year, will offer a look into the Melaka-born poet’s work, drawing out the embedded themes that ranged from issues of identity to a profound concept of spirituality.
Readers will discover never-before-seen photos that have been painstakingly gathered by Anna, as well as excerpts from Salleh’s personal papers and correspondence, including transcripts of the cassette tapes he had sent to Anna from Malaysia as she grew up in Australia.
Through the book, Anna hopes to gather more support for future projects to preserve the memory of her father.
“I'm always open to hearing from people who may have been touched by my father's unique presence and work, and wish to share stories, photos and other archival material about his amazing life,” she said.
More info here. Email: info@annasalleh.com.
