KOTA KINABALU: Sabah-born novelist, Ruhaini Matdarin, whose book “Hari-Hari Terakhir di Jesselton” (“The Final Days of Jesselton”) took the Perdana Malaysia Literary Award (HSPM) for 2017/18, says she was inspired by the colonial days of British rule in Northern Borneo, now Sabah, for her work.
The 38-year old writer, whose favourite authors include Gabriel Garca Marques and Anwar Ridwan, said she took a year to finish the manuscript of her award-winning book.
She said she was inspired after reading “Pentas Opera” by Zakaria Ariffin.
“As I read Pentas Opera, I started imagining the theatre work I had seen – “Mana Setangginya” which was staged in Istana Budaya.
“That was the moment of inspiration for me to write a piece, where its presentation could eventually portray a story within a story, which is the story of life on the stage and the other the story of reality and how both could not be too different from each other,” she told Bernama in an interview here.
Ruhaini said she also remembered the works of Agnes Newton Keith, especially her book “Three Came Home,” and read up various historical books specifically on the time when Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) was the capital city of North Borneo as well as books on the Japanese occupation.
Meanwhile, on her book, Ruhaini said it tells the story of a group of artistes from a theatre club who sail to North Borneo on the invitation of a person from the state to put up a show in Jesselton.
However, their arrival is unfortunately timed as it marks the final days of the British North Borneo Company’s power and the entrance of the Japanese.
“Finally, the theatre group takes the decision to leave North Borneo but is then faced with dangers and the artistes’ lives are threatened,” said Ruhaini, who writes her novels in Bahasa Malaysia.
She said so far one of her books has been translated into English, while another few into Russian and Japanese. Her latest novel “Yang Mendekat dan Menjauh” has been published by Dewan Bahasa.
On the challenges facing novelists in the country, the Kota Kinabalu-born said the main one was the limited number of readers.
“I am still writing, but I am taking it slow as I have become selective with my own writing as I wish to produce really good work in the future.” – Bernama
