Modern Malay Poetry (SAJAK) Translation for English Education Syllabus.

While in my eighth journal, I say something about the traditional Malay poetry and the thinking of the native, in both languages, the modern version of poem such as The Dead Crow ( a translation from the Malay poem), is a new invention that directly influenced by the European free verse poems started in the 30’s within the archipelago region mainly centred in Indonesia.The first one that was published in this country is ‘Ke Tengah Segara’ in Majalah Guru ( if I am not mistaken) which still heavily tied to the traditional form, as a means of spreading a propaganda during the Japanese occupation. It was heavily laden with nationalism beneath all symbols and imagery which were used to avoid censorship by the Japs. In Malay language this free form verses is called ‘sajak’ or rhyme in English.

Again via poetry like this, it involve the use of very high level language; it demands that the language learners' good command and vast vocabulary in both languages if we want to have this in our ESL syllabus esp in schools. But again despite all the difficulties faced, there is no gain without pain. I do agree with Datuk A. Samad Said when he criticized the people who leave out quality poems and works of the National Laureate from the school text book that these people are not thinking ahead. I think we better off with our local poems rather than the ‘out of reach cultural background' in the lake of Innisfree for the students to analyze. Teacher themselves are having a blurred vision in translating, interpreting etc, within 1 (35-40 minutes period a week) what more the students? Do the majority students really enjoy it, and do the poem can attract them to the language or make them hate it even more. Despite that the universal values or themes in there, we should clear our focus on either to teach English literature or To Teach Literature in English in our school English Syllabus. Then only the next step can be taken.

If we really want to explore the mindset of the ‘Mat Salleh’, within the national school system then make sure we really plant a good grasp of English within the local atmosphere first – be fluent with a good Malaysian version English ( not Manglish) at the age of 4 or 5 or lower. Make sure the young minds are truly bilingual, by means that English is truly our second language to the mother tongue or/and the national language - as dont forget, we are multi racial nation where Chinese and Tamil etc are spoken too.

Otherwise ‘dare to dream’ dear education specialist in the Education Ministry.