KUCHING: Sixty-five-year-old Jais Sahok, affectionately known as Cikgu Jais, has evolved into a prolific creator of literary works and reading materials for the public.
Though required to conclude his teaching service at age 60 he remains dedicated to sharing valuable knowledge with readers of all ages and backgrounds.
His educational path diverged from the norm, starting in Year One rather than kindergarten.
From there on he progressed through high school, attended the Teacher Education Institute (IPG) in Batu Lintang, and earned two Master’s degrees in different fields, as well as a Doctorate (PhD).
Cikgu Jais embarked on his teaching career in the 1980s, taking on various roles including as Principal (Pengetua), Deputy Head (Penolong Kanan), Senior Teacher (Guru Kanan), and Form Six Teacher.
However, his most cherished position was that of a Malay Language teacher.
After 37 years of service, he concluded his career as a school development expert known as a School Improvement Specialist Coach (SISC) in the Kuching District Education Office (PPD) under the Education Transformation Programme led by the then Minister of Education, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Additionally, he was appointed by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka as Munsyi Dewan and continues to be sought after to conduct language seminars in this capacity.
In an enlightening dialogue with Sarawak Tribune, he dwelled on the fascinating evolution of his career from educator to esteemed writer, aspiring to ignite a spark of inspiration and encouragement within the hearts of readers through the rich tapestry of his life experiences.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Everyone has their own story. How did your journey as a writer begin?
Cikgu Jais: Honestly, I was a kinesthetic learner, a student who learned best through hands-on experience and movement. Back in school, just sitting still felt unnatural to me. Because of my kinesthetic nature, I felt somewhat lost during my first year at teacher training college. Sometimes, I’d pass the time gardening, but even then, I wasn’t sure what to do there (college).
On top of that, I’ve always been an avid reader. I would read from cover to cover very quickly. One of the things I enjoyed in newspapers was short stories, also known as cerpen (short stories). Initially, I didn’t know what cerpen was. I noticed that the author of these stories changed each week. Each week there was a new story, and every story was interesting. I thought to myself, ‘I could write stories like these too’. I started writing by hand because I didn’t have a typewriter. Whenever I was inspired by an event, I would write it down and keep it.
During my first Hari Raya at the college, in the 1980s, I met someone who introduced me to writing cerpen for the newspaper. This person asked if I had any stories to publish in the People’s Mirror. So, I gave it a try since there was payment involved. I felt hopeful that my story would be read by others, my name would be published, and I would also receive payment. From that moment on, I borrowed a typewriter from a friend to write these stories.
Every week, I would complete one story. I’d submit it, and two weeks later, my cerpen would appear in the newspaper. That’s how my journey as a writer began. It started as a hobby, but then I was fortunate enough to meet someone who introduced me to the world of writing.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What has motivated your commitment to writing?
Cikgu Jais: I once attended an event where a Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) radio DJ spoke about poetry. I was speechlessly captivated by their eloquence. The DJ also met with several other well-known figures at various events, some of whom became my mentors in writing, guiding and refining my talent.
One memorable event that still resonates with me was a short story competition organised by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sarawak Branch. I participated but didn’t win any prize, not even a consolation prize. During the awards announcement, a short story by Majuni Palera was named the winner. I eagerly opened his story and read it with intense focus. I was so engrossed that I didn’t hear the people speaking around me. At that moment, I vowed to myself that one day, I would become like him.
I was determined to study and delve deeper into the Malay language to broaden my vocabulary, enabling me to create and craft poems, short stories, and other creative works. This passion drove me to buy every Malay literature book available on the market and read them. I wanted to excel in the language because I went to an English-medium school. To read books in Malay, we had to seek out those resources ourselves. This became my routine, buying and repeatedly reading these books.
I even switched my field of study in higher education from science to literature, and in 1982, I sat for the world’s first Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) exam. In the literature syllabus, there was a text titled Keluarga Guerilla. I read it and was in awe, I wanted to write stories of that calibre. With God’s blessing, I passed, and here I stand today. All of this has been my motivation, shaping who I am now.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: How did you nurture your writing skills and commitment?
Cikgu Jais: I continued to nurture my writing by attending workshops to gain knowledge. I was taught where to submit my work and received advice from veteran writer Hamzah Hamdani, who encouraged me to focus on stories about the people of Sarawak.
This was because the media in Peninsular Malaysia is very interested in works that reflect Sarawak’s unique culture and identity. I took that advice to heart and focused in that direction. For example, a local writer, Saie Driss, who is of Melanau heritage, dedicated his writing to stories about his own community.
Since my mother is Salako Rara (Dayak), I used this cultural connection as a foundation to create works that authentically reflect Salako influences. At the same time, I noticed that successful works often involve sharing perspectives on personal experiences, spirituality, ways of thinking (in terms of faith), remembrance of God, and so on. So, if one wants to write about Malay culture, having a background in religious experience is essential.
Simply put, write stories about what you truly know well. I felt confident writing about the Salako Rara because of my close connection through my mother. It turns out my efforts paid off. Before writing, I would ask questions to get factual accuracy. Eventually, my writing gained recognition in competitions, and I received many awards and prizes, including cash prizes. This success fueled my passion to keep writing and creating.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: A pen name is almost essential for a writer. Could you share the pseudonyms you use?
Cikgu Jais: I have a total of 24 pen names, making me one of the writers with the most pseudonyms in Malaysia, perhaps even globally. This isn’t to boast, but I am a very diligent writer, especially in creating creative works. I’ve even been teased for writing so much, as if I have nothing else to do. Truthfully, I don’t have many other activities at home, so I spend my time writing and crafting stories. My responsibilities at school were well-managed, so I had no issue dedicating my time to writing at home.
Writing has become a source of income for me. This diligence is motivated by the incentive of getting paid when my work is published. That encouragement has led me to consistently write short stories, articles, poems, and more.
For that reason, many of my published articles featured a single pen name, ‘Jayjay’, which was the first pseudonym I used when I began submitting creative works. To avoid causing resentment among others, I started changing my pen names frequently. Some of my other pen names are JS Lut, Bujang Kenyalang, Ampang Kenyalang, S Johari, Afif, Pena Uzmana, Mohd Afif or Mohamad Afif, Afif Izdihar, Munsyi Putera, Meseri Sitam, B.J. Fiqri, Jasa Cemerlang, Annjay, Noisyam, Jeje, Antu Laut, Nora M, Joseph JS, Anjang Dilah, Munsyi Dewan, M.J, Mat Pekasa, and Nek Johan.
My favourite and most frequently used pen name is ‘Munsyi Putera’, meaning ‘Male Teacher’, which reflects on my career as an educator. Another unique pen name is ‘Nek Johan’, inspired by my grandmother on my father’s side, Johan.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Since you started writing, how many works have you produced?
Cikgu Jais: So far, I have successfully produced seven children’s novels, 11 young adult novels, nine adult novels (general), five collections of short stories, one collection of essays, eight poetry collections, and 16 textbooks (not related to creative works, poetry, short stories or drama).
For eceran writing, which is a writing published in various media or publication outlets throughout the country, including overseas (if applicable), a total of 226 short stories have been published. The first short story was written under the pen name Jayjay in 1981, titled Kepulangan, published in Malaysian Focus, a weekly tabloid. Meanwhile, the most recent work under the name Jais Sahok (2024) is a short story titled Bacokom, featured in the short story section of Majalah Dewan Budaya.
For eceran poetry, a total of 402 works have been produced, with a target of 1,000 works. Stage dramas (13), academic articles related to geography and others, magazine guidance and others (13), language articles (203), general literature articles (384), literary essays (44), and language essays (24).
As my writing journey progresses, my writing techniques have become more youthful and mature over time. For example, completing a single poem used to take me up to two weeks, or even two months. Now, I can finish one in half an hour. However, writing short stories or novels still requires a significant amount of time.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Have you ever experienced writer’s block, and how did you overcome it to become productive again?
Cikgu Jais: I don’t experience a mental block, a mental block means a deadlock in thinking. I practice ‘SiABiDiBaMBeY’ and I also use the four other thinking tools recommended by the Ministry of Education: ‘SiABiDiBaMBeY’, JG, CoRTS, and Six Thinking Hats (both by Edward de Bono), Ryan’s Thinkers Keys (Tony Ryan), and Q Matrix (for higher levels). If I feel stuck, like wondering how to proceed with the story, I will use, for example, Alternative, Possibilities, Choices (APC) within CoRTS, in which Edward de Bono has ten.
For example, regarding the ending, the character dies but why not let them live? Everyone in love should be given an ending, such as marrying someone else. To me, that’s not pure, it’s not nice. Let people in love find their way, no matter how difficult it is, let them be together.
In addition, I also created my own thinking tool that I call Perspective. When we look at something, from what perspective do we solve the problem?For example, clothing, why is that person wearing clothes? If we look from the perspective of a religious teacher, it’s to cover the body, from the perspective of a school discipline teacher, it’s about discipline, while from the perspective of a student, it’s about following rules. We need to consider this thinking skill when looking for an ending.
Because literary works help their society to think, so when we want to help them think, from what perspective? That’s why when people give answers that seem wrong, that’s a perspective of knowledge; another perspective of knowledge could be different. For example, two plus two can equal zero. If you look at water on a taro leaf, if you pour one drop, it falls and disappears. So what’s the perspective? As we start to see how much knowledge exists, don’t judge that it’s wrong, even mathematical theorems can be proven wrong. If you look at the definition of a theory, a theory is knowledge that is currently proven to be true; if proven false, then that theory is no longer true, so theories can be the opposite of true. Knowledge can change.
My blockage is usually a work block, there’s too much work, especially since I used to be a teacher. I also sometimes experience a linguistic block such as which words are suitable, and what is the word again? That’s why sometimes you see poetry, for instance, sometimes it seems nonsensical, and I don’t even know why.
If you get to know literary people, they are actually very naughty because Edward de Bono said, “To be creative, you must be naughty and playful and funny; you have to see something from a funny perspective because you need to enjoy.”
The remedy for linguistic block is to read a dictionary. Relax and read the dictionary. Now it’s easy with PRPM (Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu). It’s important and if you ever have children, don’t forget that one of the most important assignments in life is to read the dictionary, be it in English, Malay, or Arabic, depending on the language they learn.
Okay, lastly, about the block, of course, laziness. That’s common among my friends, but I don’t have that element. However, as I get older, I begin to understand fatigue. In the past, during the 80s, when I was younger, I did not know the meaning of rest, so I would write until the next morning. I was okay. The next day, I could still go to work. Now, if I don’t sleep one night, I get a migraine the next day. Miserable. So, not good. That’s what I mean when I say I don’t have a block.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: How do resources like PRPM and teaching methods such as KWLH contribute to children’s language development and critical thinking skills?
Cikgu Jais: To overcome a linguistic block, the remedy is to read a dictionary. Take your time and read it casually. Nowadays, it’s much easier with PRPM, an important resource. If you ever have children, remember that one of the most significant tasks in their education is to encourage them to read the dictionary, whether in English, BM, or Arabic, depending on the language they are learning.
For young children who are beginning to pronounce words, let them read the meanings in a dictionary. A picture dictionary is suitable for elementary school students, while older students can benefit from more advanced dictionaries. The best part is that PRPM is free, making it an excellent tool for developing language skills.
Imagine giving a second-grader additional math lessons—it can be overwhelming. Just like how the PRPM provides complex language challenges, it can be difficult for young learners. I am thankful to the Sarawak Education Department for sending me to the Critical Thinking Skills course, which has greatly impacted my understanding.
Edward de Bono, a well-known thinker, founded the Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT), which has become a global reference in cognitive development. He has many informative videos on YouTube that cover powerful thinking methods, including the famous ‘Six Thinking Hats’. The Six Thinking Hats method is a key component of CoRT, along with Lateral Thinking. I used to own all of his books available in Malaysia, but now you can find his content on YouTube. These resources are essential in promoting critical thinking, a skill that is still underdeveloped in Malaysia.
We need to encourage teachers to stop merely teaching and start inspiring learning. In the classroom, educators can use the KWLH (Know-What-Learned-How) technique to enhance reading comprehension. Bring KWLH forms or create a KWLH framework on the board. I’ve practiced this technique for seven years, and you can even Google it for more information.
Inspiring learning is crucial for self-development. Teaching, like journalism, is an art. Do you think anyone can become a journalist? No. Do you think everyone can be a teacher? No, it requires a unique skill set. Being a journalist involves the art of interviewing people—without that skill, it can be challenging. It also demands dedication and long hours; those expecting to leave by 5pm may not thrive in this field. Both teaching and journalism require a deep commitment to inspire and cultivate learning.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Could you share your daily writing routine? Is there a specific time or place that inspires you?
Cikgu Jais: I am a rather restless person and tend to be quite kinesthetic in my approach. Whenever I have an idea swirling in my mind that hasn’t yet materialised into something tangible, I feel a sense of agitation. This restlessness follows me through any task I undertake. When inspiration strikes, I make it a point to jot down my thoughts immediately to capture the essence of the idea before it slips away.
Sometimes, even while driving, I will stop by the roadside to write. The fear of forgetting a brilliant idea compels me to pull out my notebook or phone and quickly note down my thoughts. I find that when I do this, I can later refine and expand upon those initial scribbles into something more cohesive and structured.
There are occasions when I feel a rush of inspiration and write continuously until the piece is complete. Once I finish, I then determine the right platform for my work—whether it’s for a competition, a newspaper, or a magazine. This process allows me to remain flexible and responsive to the creative flow, ensuring that my ideas are not lost in the ether of daily life.
When it comes to poetry, I often choose specific themes for my works. The theme may relate to a river, for example. I utilise various thinking tools such as JQ/B40SF, APC, and AGO to inform my writing decisions. These tools help me systematically approach my themes, combining LI and SL (soalan linguistik) to create a cohesive and meaningful piece.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE:What is the book you often read, and why is that book special to you?
Cikgu Jais: The book I often find myself returning to is one focused on the thinking of Edward de Bono. This book holds a special place in my heart for several reasons. First and foremost, Edward de Bono is not just an influential thinker; he is an idol in the realm of creative and critical thinking. His unique approaches to problem-solving and innovation have shaped the way I view challenges in both my personal and professional life.
Moreover, de Bono serves as a primary reference for my mentors, including esteemed figures like Prof. Leo Ann Min, Prof. Leonard Yong, Prof. Di Raja Ungku Aziz, and Ainin Mohammad. Their teachings often incorporate de Bono’s methodologies, allowing me to connect deeper with his ideas through their insights. It encapsulates a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies that have significantly impacted my understanding of thought processes. Each time I read it, I discover new layers of wisdom that resonate with my experiences and aspirations, making it a constant source of inspiration and guidance.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What is your advice to young writers who are just starting their journey in the world of writing?
Cikgu Jais: To become a writer, if there’s a determination, it becomes a journey of effort. A crusade. Just like athletes, to achieve success in sports requires effort, it’s not easy, is it? No! Nothing is easy. To reach your potential as a writer, to achieve your own potential, nurturing, that is a struggle or your journey of efforts. What kind of struggle? First, computer skills and ICT as the foundation, however, thinking skills are the core. Because a writer is a thinker for their society, looking far ahead. If you don’t know the thinking tools, how will you teach others to think? How will you apply those thinking tools? Therefore, go to school, read everywhere. That’s my advice to authors, linguistic intelligence (LI) or Quadrant Linguistic (The development of vocabulary and more.) is its essence.
The core of writing is the ability to think critically, while the essence involves harnessing tools that help bring ideas to fruition. The struggle needs to be directed toward persistence, you must have it, and the synonym for persistence is being diligent. This journey requires perseverance; being diligent is key, as time is limited. Laziness leads to failure. Don’t waste time because our time is very short. The moment you become lazy, you will simply drop off just like that. Laziness is the key to all failures.
Certainly, writers must be trendy. Writers also need to stay relevant; if your writing resembles that of 30 years ago, will anyone read it? In today’s world, if we’re still focused on traditional books while others are embracing digital literature, we risk failing to connect with our audience. Now, if you talk to young writers, their mode is different, they have their ICT, their usage, and the perspectives influenced by social media—all of that, will everyone believe it? No!
Being trendy means following the trend, otherwise, there won’t be a response, and of course, be knowledgeable. To become a writer depends on who you are such as to be a geographical writer requires a high level of geographical knowledge, while a social writer needs a high level of social knowledge because it’s about providing information and shaping the thoughts of the audience receiving that literary material. Influencing others is a challenge; trust is built over time, but providing inaccurate information can lead to severe consequences.
The phrase ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ holds truth, provided you speak honestly. If you lie, that falsehood may be a greater sin than a big sin, perhaps the faster road to hell. I certainly advise young writers to develop thinking skills. We want to teach people to think, but if we ourselves cannot think, I consider that an extraordinary joke, a terrible joke. Writing is a serious business, it’s about civilisation, about competing with a society that is far more advanced.
Once you can think, think at a higher level, KBAT (Higher Order Thinking Skills). According to Q-Metrics, the tools are easy. Also, again, perhaps just three words.
For me, there’s no success in writing, because if writing is merely “Congratulations, Jais,” that’s not success. Because if literature—if a work, like a short story—leaves an impact on changing someone’s attitude from lazy to diligent, then that is a true success. Another example, a poem read by the Prime Minister is also a form of success. That’s my advice to young writers, don’t give up because this world is ours and it’s just a temporary struggle.
