Muzium Telekom will serve as the main venue for the Kalam literary festival, with its halls renamed in honour of local literary icons, including the KS Maniam Room, Dataran Pyanhabib, and Dewan Pak Sako. Photo: The Star/Chan Tak Kong
Turning Kuala Lumpur into a bibliophile’s dream may require a considerable effort from the literary community, but each small step taken brings us closer to that vision.
The inaugural Kalam: Confluence Of Writers & Ideas festival (free admission), created for book lovers, promises a busy weekend of literature and writing in KL from Nov 1 to Nov 3. This literary community-driven gathering unites a diverse array of writers, intellectuals, scholars, publishers, and cultural figures from Malaysia and neighbouring countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
As a flagship event of the Kreatif KL Festival, organised by Think City, Kalam aims to explore the evolving literary landscapes and untold stories of KL, Malaysia, and South-East Asia.
With over 40 speakers representing nine countries, Kalam’s main sessions will take place at Muzium Telekom, complemented by book launches at Riwayat Bookstore and Mountbatten Cafe, as well as a literary exhibition (paying tribute to Brazilian novelist Clarice Lispector) at Bartolo Lisboa Bakehouse in Central Market. All the venues are within walking distance, making it easy for visitors to explore.
Kalam is curated by Pauline Fan, creative director of the cultural organisation Pusaka; Hafiz Hamzah, writer-editor of the Bahasa Malaysia literary journal Svara; and Roestam Alias, the owner of independent bookstore Riwayat.
So, what does “kalam” mean? According to Fan, the organisers chose this name for the event for two key reasons.
“First, ‘kalam’ is an old Malay word (rooted in Arabic) that refers to a writing tool; it also refers to the art of writing and knowledge,” says Fan, the former director of the George Town Literary Festival (2019-2023) in Penang.
Independent bookshop Riwayat is one of the venues for the Kalam satellite events. Photo: The Star/Chan Tak Kong
“Second, the word contains the letters ‘K’ and ‘L’, as well as the word ‘alam’ (the Malay word meaning world, universe, realm, nature), so it captures the sense of KL being a microcosm for writers, ideas, languages, and culture,” she adds.
As a capital city, Fan emphasises that KL has long overdue the establishment of its own literary festival.
“KL’s literary community is vast, layered, and dynamic – it deserves a literary festival it can call its own,” says Fan.
“Literary gatherings and festivals are important sites for writers, translators, publishers and others in the industry to meet, exchange ideas, collaborate, and celebrate, so we see Kalam as a kind of pilot programme, and hope it will grow into a proper KL Literary Festival over the coming years,” she says.
Kalam’s line-up features an array of talent, including iconic Malaysian cartoonist Lat, renowned Indonesian poet and essayist Goenawan Mohamad, celebrated Cambodian spoken word poet Kosal Khiev, acclaimed Philippine author and journalist Marga Ortigas, award-winning Singaporean novelist Jo-Ann Yeoh, and respected international publishers Minh Bui Jones and Naveen Kishore.
Indonesian literary icon Goenawan will lend regional distinction to the event. Photo: Cheryl Hoffmann
“The aspiration of Kalam is to be a space or platform for discussions that may not be ‘popular’, but are important, substantive, and of quality. Matters concerning culture and literature always require fresh imagination and grow with ideas that are not stagnant. Kalam aims to be one of those stepping stones,” says Hafiz.
The event, with a mix of English and Bahasa Malaysia, showcases diverse local writers, including social historian Abdur-Razzaq Lubis, Sabahan novelist Ruhaini Matdarin, Orang Asli novelist Akiya, and Mahua author Ho Sok Fong.
Dina Zaman’s new book Malayland, a reflection on identity politics, is one of the book launch highlights at Kalam, while poet Jack Malik is releasing his debut English book of poetry It Takes So Much To Be Nothing at the event.
In the Kalam programme, there are a total of 27 literary sessions, including book launches. Of these, six sessions will be in Bahasa Malaysia, and there will also be bilingual discussions.
“There are three discussion sessions in Malay that might be interesting to follow. First, Perempuan Sajak, which brings together contemporary female poets in Malaysia to reflect on and discuss their observations and thoughts on the development of poetry writing.
Shih-Li Kow will join Malachi Edwin Vethamani at the Maya Press book launch of the late KS Maniam’s fourth and final novel 'The Cry'. Photo: The Star/Raja Faisal Hishan
“Second, Mengalih Pemusatan Sastera, a session that will explore how literary activities and publications are often focused on the capital city’s mould and nuances, sidelining the contributions and observations of practitioners from more marginalised areas. The third session is Kuala Lumpur Mengingat Pyan, a tribute event to commemorate the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Poet, Pyanhabib, who passed away in June,” said Hafiz.
Kalam is supported by Think City and the Kreatif KL Festival, in partnership with the Goethe-Institut Malaysia, Embassy of Brazil in Malaysia, Australian High Commission, Han Culture Centre, PEN Malaysia, Inisiatif Buku Darul Ehsan, and Hikayat Fandom.
Programme highlights:
'(UN)WRITTEN HISTORIES OF KUALA LUMPUR'
Dewan Pak Sako, Muzium Telekom
Nov 2, 10am-11.30am
The opening panel – featuring Abdur-Razzaq Lubis, Elizabeth Cardosa, and Fuad Fahmy with Lee Chwi Lynn as moderator – delves into lesser-known narratives that have shaped KL, highlighting voices, figures, and stories often overlooked in mainstream historical accounts.
Through critical insights and personal anecdotes – from Sutan Puasa, an unsung founder of KL; to the nostalgic charm of Kampung Baru; to the renaming of Kampung Kerinchi and Kampung Abdullah Hukum – the panel explores the identity, heritage, and the evolving cultural landscape of Malaysia’s capital.
At the ‘Lat: A Life In Lines And Laughter’ panel discussion, cartoonist Lat will share his journey of bringing everyday life to the page with humour and heart. Photo: Filepic
LAT: 'A LIFE IN LINES AND LAUGHTER'
Dewan Pak Sako, Muzium Telekom
Nov 2, 2pm-3pm
Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid, known to most as Lat, shares his journey of bringing everyday life to the page with humour and heart. In conversation with Fan, the audience will get a rare glimpse into the creative mind behind seminal works like Kampung Boy, Town Boy, and Mat Som, as Lat reflects on his inspirations, his love for storytelling, and the power of laughter in bridging cultures.
MARGA ORTIGAS: 'FROM THE FRONTLINES TO FICTION'
Salmi Manja Lounge, Muzium Telekom
Nov 2, 11am-noon
Eddin Khoo joins acclaimed Filipino author Ortigas for a compelling conversation on the connection between her journalism and creative work. They will explore her latest novel, God’s Ashes, which delves into themes of displacement, identity, and survival. With over three decades in journalism, Ortigas will share how her reporting on global issues like climate change, conflict, and the refugee crisis has shaped her fiction, enriching her storytelling and thematic depth.
'EXILE UNBOUND: A POETRY PERFORMANCE' BY KOSAL KHIEV
Dataran Pyanhabib, Muzium Telekom
Nov 2, 6pm-7pm
In this live performance, Cambodian spoken word poet Kosal Khiev shares his journey from incarceration to freedom. His poetic awakening began in solitary confinement, where writing became a way to confront his past and dream of a future beyond prison life in California. After 14 years, Kosal was deported from the US to Cambodia, a land he barely knew. Now in exile, he continues using poetry to navigate his challenges, embodying resilience and the healing power of art.
Kosal Khiev, a prominent poet in Cambodia, is set for a live spoken word performance and panel discussions. Photo: Filepic
STRANGER THAN FICTION: TELLING UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS
Dewan Pak Sako, Muzium Telekom
Nov 3, 10am-11.30am
In contemporary Malaysia, fiction mirrors the country’s complex social realities, dark family histories, and personal struggles. This panel, featuring Malaysian authors Viji Krishnamoorthy, Chua Kok Yee, and Shih-Li Kow, moderated by Lee Chwi Lynn, explores how local writers use fiction to uncover the uncomfortable truths lurking beneath everyday life – truths often stranger than fiction.
WHOSE KL IS IT ANYWAY?: REFLECTIONS ON A CONTROVERSIAL MALAYSIAN NOVEL FROM 1967
KS Maniam Room, Muzium Telekom
Nov 3, 11.30am-1pm
In this talk session, publisher Amir Muhammad revisits Abdullah Hussain’s Kuala Lumpur Kita Punya, a novel that hasn’t been reprinted for decades despite Hussain later being named a Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate). Released in 1967, it became an instant bestseller but faced accusations of obscenity, prompting a literary panel to critique it.
Amir explores what the novel reveals about life in 1960s KL. Beyond the libidinous adventures of its four young bachelors, who share a house in Kampung Baru, what does it tell us about the city’s geography, socio-economic landscape, and even its gender and race relations?
Presented in collaboration with PEN Malaysia, this lecture will dive into the novel’s deeper significance and what it represents for its time.
