Panopticism‟ in Adibah Amin‟S Selected English Prose Writings

A STUDY OF „PANOPTICISM‟ IN ADIBAH AMIN‟S SELECTED ENGLISH PROSE WRITINGS

FARAH AKMAR BT AHMAD ZAKI

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences in English Literary Studies

Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia

JULY 2017

ABSTRACT

This thesis aims to illustrate Adibah Amin‟s critical observations and narrations of the influence of social conditioning and normalisation on people‟s thoughts and behaviourin both volumes of As I Was Passing (2007) as well as in Glimpses: Cameos of Malaysian Life (2008). This is achieved through three objectives: first, highlighting her representation of the procedures of panopticism, which include spatial distributions, coding of actions, accumulation of time and combination of forces; second, identifying her representation of the instruments of panopticism, which involve hierarchical observation, normalising judgement and examination; third, addressing the four panoptic characteristics fabricated out of the abovementioned procedures and instruments, namely cellular, organic, genetic and combinatory. To pursue these three objectives, the thesis employs Michel Foucault‟s formulation of „panopticism‟, a theory of social conditioning and normalisation by way of disciplinary techniques and mechanisms. While Adibah Amin‟s humorous style of writing is what frequently renders her English anecdotes interesting, this should not be the blanket description defining her works as it will eclipse her astute and critical observations of people‟s routines, tendencies, norms and idiosyncrasies. Adibah Amin has revealed in her selected narratives that people are prone to be both the object and the effect of conditioning and normalising procedures and instruments. It is hoped that this thesis will give Adibah Amin the recognition that she truly deserves and make people aware of the various serious issues that she deals with in her narratives, albeit with humour.

ملخص البحث ABSTRACT IN ARABIC

حٓذف ْزِ انذّساست إنى حٕضٍح يالحظاث أدٌبت أيٍٍ انُقذٌّت ٔسٔاٌاحٓا نخأثٍش انخكٍّف االجخًاػ ًّ ٔانخطبٍغ ػهى أفكاس انُاط ٔسهٕكٓى فً كال انًجهذٌٍ: ػُذيا كُج يا ًّسا ، ٔكزنك فً نًحاث َقٕش يٍ انحٍاة انًانٍضٌّت. ٔقذ ححقق رنك ِيٍ خالل ثالثت أْذاف: أٔالً، حسهٍظ انضٕء ػهى حًثٍهٓا إلجشاءاث )بإَبخٍسٍسى( انخً حشًم انخٕصؼٌاث انًكاٍَّت ٔحشيٍضْا، ٔحشاكى انٕقج، ٔانجًغ بٍٍ انقٕاث. ثاًٍَا؛ ححذٌذ حًثٍهٓا ألدٔاث )بإَبخٍسٍسى(، انخً حُطٕي ػهى انًشاقبت انٓشيٍّت نخطبٍغ انحكى ٔاالسخجٕاب. ثانثًا؛ يؼانجت خصائص )بإَبخٍك( األسبؼت انًهفقت يٍ اإلجشاءاث انًزكٕسة أػالِ ٔأدٔاحٓا، ححذٌذًا ًْ: انخهٌّٕت، ٔانؼضٌّٕت، ٔانجٍٍُّت، ٔانخجؼًٍّت. ٔححقٍقًا نٓزِ األْذاف انثالثت، حسخخذو األطشٔحت صٍاغت يٍشال فٕكٕ نـِ "بإَبخٍسٍسى"، ًْٔ َظشٌت نهخكٍف االجخًاػ ًّ ٔانخطبٍغ يٍ خالل حقٍُاث ٔآنٍاث اَضباطٍّت. فً حٍٍ أ ٌْ أسهٕب أدٌبت أيٍٍ انفكاًْ فً انكخابت ْٕ يا ٌجؼم حكاٌاحٓا اإلَجهٍضٌّت فً كثٍش يٍ األحٍاٌ يثٍشة نالْخًاو، ْٔزا ال ٌُبغً أ ٌْ ٌكٌٕ ٔصفًا شايالً ٌحذد أػًانٓا؛ فإ ٌَّ رنك سٕف ٌخفً يالحظاحٓا انحادّة ٔانُقذٌّت يٍ سٔحٍٍ انُاط، ٔاحجاْاحٓى، ٔيؼاٌٍشْى ٔخصٕصٍاحٓى. ٔقذ كشفج أدٌبت أيٍٍ فً سٔاٌاحٓا انًخخاسة أ ٌّ انُاط ػشضت أل ٌْ ٌكَٕٕا كال يٍ انًٕضٕع ٔأثش انخكٍٍف ٔحطبٍغ اإلجشاءاث ٔأدٔاحٓا. َأيم فً أ ٌْ حًُح األطشٔحت انحانٍت اػخشافًا ألدٌبت أيٍٍ ألَٓا حسخحقّ حقًّا، ٔأ ٌْ حجؼم انُاط ػهى بٍُّت يٍ يخخهف انقضاٌا انخطٍشة انخً حخؼايم يؼٓا أدٌبت أيٍٍ فً سٔاٌاحٓا، ٔإ ٌْ كاٌ يغ انفكاْت.

iii

APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion; it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master ofHuman Sciences in English Literary Studies.

…………………………………….. Mohammad A. Quayum Supervisor

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master ofHuman Sciences in English Literary Studies.

…………………………………….. Siti Nuraishah Ahmad Examiner

…………………………………….. Farizah Jaafar Examiner

This dissertation was submitted to the Department of English Language and Literature and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master ofHuman Sciences in English Literary Studies.

…………………………………….. Mohd. Ridwan Abdul Wahid Head, Department of English Language and Literature

This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciencesand is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master ofHuman Sciences in English Literary Studies.

…………………………………….. Rahmah Bt. Ahmad H. Osman Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigation, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Farah Akmar Bt Ahmad Zaki

Signature…………………....………. Date …….……………….

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

A STUDY OF ‘PANOPTICISM’ IN ADIBAH AMIN’S SELECTED ENGLISH PROSE WRITINGS

I declare that the copyright holder of this dissertation are jointly owned by the student and IIUM.

No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below

1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.

2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes.

3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieved system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries.

By signing this form, I acknowledge that I have read and understand the IIUM Intellectual Property Right and Commercialization policy.

Affirmed by Farah Akmar Bt Ahmad Zaki

……..…………………….. ……………………….. Signature Date

DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved parents

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Dr. Mohammad A. Quayum, for his willingness to accept me to be his supervisee. I am truly privileged to be under the tutelage of such a reputable scholar of literature. I am indeed grateful for his patience and understanding, and most importantly, for seeing and believing in my abilities and potentials. I feel honoured to have him guiding my thesis writing journey for he has definitely helped me become not just a better writer, thinker or student, but a better human being.

I would also like to thank several experts who were involved in reading, proofreading and validating my thesis. I am thankful for their input and feedback, which have highlighted my strengths and flaws, thus improving my writing skills. Many thanks to IIUM staff members who helped me directly or indirectly throughout these years.

Finally, I would like to thank my family members, especially my parents, who were tremendously supportive of my decision to re-do my thesis. Their understanding and patience were undeniably significant and impactful. Additionally, many thanks to Nadia and Aishah for continuously encouraging me to persevere and give my best.

viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ...... ii Abstract in Arabic ...... iii Approval Page ...... iv Declaration ...... v Copyright ...... vi Dedication ...... vii Acknowledgements ...... viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 Overview...... 1 1.2 Background of the Study ...... 1 1.3Statement of the Problem...... 4 1.4 Significance of the Study ...... 7 1.5 Research Objectives...... 8 1.6 Literature Review ...... 9 1.6.1 Biography ...... 9 1.6.2 Review ...... 11 1.7 Theoretical Framework ...... 17 1.8 Research Methodology ...... 19 1.9 Limitations of the Study ...... 19 1.10 Conclusion ...... 20

CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ...... 21 2.1 Overview...... 21 2.2 Criticisms of Foucault‟s Works ...... 21 2.3 Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison ...... 25 2.4 Panopticism...... 27 2.4.1.1 The Art of Distributions ...... 32 2.4.1.2 The Control of Activity ...... 33 2.4.1.3 The Organisation of Geneses ...... 34 2.4.1.4 The Composition of Forces ...... 35 2.4.2 The Instruments of Panopticism ...... 38 2.4.2.1 Hierarchical Observation ...... 38 2.4.2.2 Normalising Judgement ...... 39 2.4.2.3 The Examination ...... 41 2.5 Conclusion ...... 43

CHAPTER THREE: THE PROCEDURES OF PANOPTICISM ...... 45 3.1 Overview...... 45 3.2 The Panoptic Distributions ...... 46 3.4 The Panoptic Temporal-Accumulation...... 67 3.6 Conclusion ...... 88

CHAPTER FOUR: THE INSTRUMENTS OF PANOPTICISM ...... 89 4.1 Overview...... 89 4.2 Hierarchical Observation ...... 90 4.3 Normalising Judgement ...... 98 4.4 Examination ...... 115 4.5 Conclusion ...... 127

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION ...... 128 5.1 Overview...... 128 5.2 Summary of the Research Objectives ...... 128 5.2.1 Adibah Amin‟s Representation of the Procedures of Panopticism ...... 128 5.2.1.1 The Panoptic Distributions ...... 129 5.2.1.2 The Panoptic Coding ...... 130 5.2.1.3 The Panoptic Accumulation ...... 131 5.2.1.4 The Panoptic Combination ...... 133 5.2.2 Adibah Amin‟s Representation of the Instruments of Panopticism ...... 134 5.2.2.1 Hierarchical Observation ...... 134 5.2.2.2 Normalising Judgement ...... 135 5.2.2.3 The Examination ...... 136 5.2.3 Adibah Amin‟s Representation of the Panoptic Characteristics ...... 137 5.2.3.1 Cellular ...... 137 5.2.3.2 Organic ...... 138 5.2.3.4 Combinatory ...... 139 5.3 Conclusion ...... 139

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 142

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 OVERVIEW

This chapter will provide the background of the study founding the relevance and the direction of this research and generally summarising the research objectives.

Subsequently, the statement of the problem will discuss the link between Adibah

Amin‟s notable marginalised status and the scarcity of academic studies dedicated to her English-language writing. The significance of the study will further explore potential studies and relevant academic activities that may take place consequent to the completion of this research. This chapter then will outline the three fundamental objectives this research aims to pursue. The chapter continues with the biography of

Adibah Amin and the review of existing literature in regard to the selected texts. The next section will include a brief discussion of the theory selected to guide the analysis of the selected texts. Prior to the conclusion, the methodology applied herein will also be elaborated.

1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The growth of Malaysian literature in English has not witnessed much progress in comparison to other post-colonial nations, including our neighbouring Singapore.

Quayum (2008) in „Interrogating Malaysian Literature in English: Its Glories, Sorrows and Thematic Trends‟ is able to corroborate this disheartening trajectory with a question: “Why has Malaysian literature in English failed to keep pace with the growth of literary activity in other post-colonial centres, like Singapore and India?”

(p.149). The two prominent factors affecting the burgeoning of Malaysian literature in English are frequently attributed to first, the National Language Act in 1967, which instated Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, and second, as a result of the enactment, the notion of „national literature‟ in Malaysia is reduced to “literature written in the national language” (Quayum, 2008, p.153), which then brought about the classification of „sectional literature‟, labelling any other literary works written in other languages.

Generally, this peripheral status of the English language has been noted as the core reason disrupting the development of Malaysian literature in English.

Nevertheless, it is transparent too that the reputation of the language and the reception towards it has improved significantly since the mid 1980s. In the present time, with the ever-expanding digital world that connects people all over the world past geographic boundaries, the exposure to the English language, figuratively and literally speaking, hangs at one‟s fingertips, and increases with every click. Quayum (2004) in

„Malaysian Literature in English: Challenges and Prospects in the New Millennium‟ states that this changed attitude towards the language has positively impacted the

English-language literary scene in the country and it comes “with increased moral and material support for writers” (p.4). Malaysia has indeed been seeing the rise of alternative publications with more English-language books written by contemporary young writers but they are not as widely received as their Malay-language counterparts and “they are still not considered part of the official literary establishment, or considered for national literary prizes” (Quayum, 2004). Justifiably, academic discussions and studies on Malaysian literature in English are correspondingly limited. Philip Holden (2009) in „Communities and Conceptual

Limits: Exploring Malaysian Literature in English‟ affirms this and states that, despite

the existing scholarly endeavours undertaken by Mohammad Quayum, Nor Faridah

Abdul Manaf and several others, evidently, “much of the resultant research has not gained wide international attention, and has not influenced paradigms of thinking about multicultural or transcultural text” (p.56). He further adds that a foray into the

MLA International Bibliography and The Journal of Commonwealth Literature and

TheJournal of Postcolonial Writing will attest to the “few critical articles solely on

Malaysian Literature in English in the last decade” (p.56), to which I will vouch for its soundness, as unearthing academic materials in support of Adibah Amin‟s collections of English prose, has ended in disappointment.

This gloomy scene of Malaysian literature in English and literary criticisms provides the threshold on which I ambitiously commence my research on Adibah

Amin and her English narratives, which unfortunately, albeit predictably, have gained lacklustre attention and reception both locally and internationally. The name „Adibah

Amin‟ has been losing its force in Malaysia so much so she appears unknown to a significant number of Malaysians, especially those of younger generations. This, without a doubt, is attributed to the disappointing English literary scene as elaborated and also the unimpressive reading habit in the country. Although the humour in her writing has always tickled the funny bone of her fellow readers, this very aspect too arguably, has made people unable to realise and bask in her enriching critical thoughts, those which I strongly believe, are a testament that she has always been ahead of her time. All of these have contributed to the glaring scarcity of scholarly studies on her English prose writings. Therefore, to have her narratives read and discussed in reference to Michel Foucault‟s formulation of „panopticism‟ is indeed a breath of fresh air, if not puzzling. How does one apply the thoughts of one of the most influential and controversial figures of the post-World War II period, to

Adibah‟s documented observation of Malaysians running and surviving the hustle and bustle of their prosaic lives? Firstly and principally, one can begin by not viewing the

„light-hearted‟ writing of the latter as „lightweight‟. Once the vision is set, one will discover the eye-opening profundity of a wordsmith in Adibah.

Undoubtedly, the crucial question now is in what possible way is a theory named after a prison diagram and replete with disciplinary and punitive terms and methods, germane to anecdotal collections exuding warmth and jocularity? It is this question that fundamentally guides the trajectory of my research. Generally, I will demonstrate how „panopticism‟ as a social theory on conditioning and normalisation, can be located in both volumes of As I Was Passing and also in Glimpses: Cameos of

Malaysian Life. I will specifically highlight how she wittingly and subtly addresses the conditioning and normalisation of people and its perpetuation by way of the disciplinary procedures and instruments that constitute panopticism. I will also reveal her representations of the cellular, organic, genetic, and combinatory traits in those who are communally subjected to the panoptic operations and how the said traits eventually render them submissive, thus creating a homogenous and conformist community.

1.3STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Adibah Amin‟s insightful and witty chronicles of Malaysians‟ daily ventures deserve critical attention abundantly. Her jocular and exuberant narration of people‟s habits, proclivities, indulgences, and idiosyncrasies, should be examined and discussed in reference to a social theory that is able to specifically demonstrate her astute and profound understanding of human behaviour, and also her subtle, thought-provoking rhetorical enquiries of reality, power, and knowledge. Her unique play with the

English language, which is frequently blended with or heavily influenced by Malay expressions, and her localisation of any universal subject matter or foreign references in her narratives, should be embraced and celebrated as an authentic Malaysian wordsmith preserving and asserting the Malaysian identity through her English- language writing. Nevertheless, the insignificant number of critical studies done on her collections of prose, locally and globally, unfortunately reveals her marginalised status as an English-language Malaysian writer. This begs the big question: why are her English works hitherto understudied?

Two questions pointed out in Colonial to Global: Malaysian Women’s Writing in English 1940s – 1990s (2003) regarding the As I Was Passing volumes, which further evince Adibah‟s peripheral status in Malaysia‟s English-language writing scene and essentially affect the trajectory of this study are: first, “should [Adibah]‟s role as a writer who writes against the Empire and one with a very strong nostalgic nativism be continually under-rated?” and second, “must we continue to celebrate her works as “amusing chronicles?”” (Manaf & Quayum, p.258). Not only her writings garner little attention and mention in the general canon of Malaysian literature, she is not even greatly acknowledged as one of Malaysia‟s leading women writers in English in comparison with the significant recognition placed on Shirley Lim, Che Husna

Azhari, and Hilary Tham. A possible justification to this disregard may result from her status as a bilingual writer, “which affects the volume of [her] output in the

English language” (Quayum, 2008, p.151).

Additionally, Adibah‟s marginalised reputation could be attributed to the genre under which her writings are categorised, which is journalistic writing. A popular writing tradition of the country, which finds its way back to Abdullah Munshi as noted by Rehman Rashid, is the “journalistic commentary” (Quayum, 2004, p.1) or in a

similar vein, “the essay” as posited by Holden (2009, p.62). However, despite its significant influence in the history of Malaysian literature in English, it has not been treated critically and seriously compared to the treatment shown for other genres.

Holden confirms that the study of the essay “has been neglected” (Holden, 2009).

This also can be noted when one of the reasons for the small number of prominent

English-language writers in Malaysia established by Mohammad A. Quayum and

Peter C. Wicks in Malaysian Literature in English: A Critical Reader,lies in the fact that writers “restrict their creative interest to witty journalistic writings” (Holden,

2009) [Emphasis mine].

Another proposition that may shed light on her marginalisation is her linguistic style. This challenge nonetheless has been generally identified as common among non-native writers in English:

[English‟s] vocabulary, categories and codes are not always adequate or appropriate to describe the cultural practices, flora and fauna or other physical and geographical conditions of the land. Therefore, the writer needs to constantly infuse “local blood” into the language and attune it to the local context. He has to intermittently negotiate between his soul, the language and his society, and seek to suit the medium to the native colour, verve, spirit, shades and consciousness. This act of adjusting, modifying, transforming the language...presents an on-going challenge from which the writer can barely rest if he wants to be considered serious (Quayum, 2004, p.4).

A surface analysis of Adibah‟s prose will easily and instantly demonstrate „the local blood‟ in her writing, thus being another reasonable factor contributing to the lack of interest in her works.

Inspired by the motivation to give Adibah Amin her due and, chiefly, to argue against any trivialising remarks on her English-language writing, I would like to reveal the acuity of her complex thoughts by employing Michel Foucault‟s

formulation of „panopticism‟ in the analyses of the volumes of As I Was Passing and of Glimpses: Cameos of Malaysian Life.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Generally, this intellectual investigation of Adibah Amin‟s English-language writing is significant to introduce her globally, as one of the eloquent and critical Malaysian writers, and to give due recognition to her enlightening and insightful accounts of

Malaysians‟ everyday lives, hence increasing and expanding her readership all over the world. It is particularly crucial for fellow Malaysians then, especially those of the younger generation, to learn of and be impacted by her powerful presence and influence as a writer in the country, and therefore, to critically and deeply benefit from her observations and thoughts that have remained extensively relevant to date.

Therefore, it is hoped that this research will attract the attention of the country‟s

Ministry of Education to have Adibah‟s English-language essays included in the curriculum of the English language, particularly of the literature component, which could stimulate and hone students‟ critical-thinking skills.

From a literary perspective, this study is especially vital in three ways. Firstly, it hopes to provide a whole new depth to the understanding and the analysis of her writing by rendering Michel Foucault‟s social theory of „panopticism‟ pertinent to her thoughts and arguments. Secondly, it aims to add a different layer of criticism to the existing academic discourse on Malaysian literature in English, which commonly deals with a thematic study grounded upon nationalism, multiculturalism, post- colonialism, or post-colonial offshoots such as orientalism or feminism. Thirdly, it also hopes to heighten the interest in and bring about more literary studies pertaining to the journalistic genre, thus improving its reputation in the literary world.

Additionally, it seeks to inspire more intellectual endeavours on Adibah‟s

English-language writing. There are some potential and interesting research objectives that could be addressed consequent to this research. One objective could propose her humour as an intellectual strategy meant to portray her nuanced criticisms of social issues. Another objective could solely deal with her representations or rhetoric of relativism.Furthermore, one could compare her narratives in the aforementioned volumes with those of Glimpses: Cameos of Malaysian Life, given the significant time-gap between them. Adibah‟s unique writing flair and localisation of the English language could suggest a study concerning the relationship between her identity as a Malaysian writer and her linguistic repertoire.

Theoretically, this research aspires to reveal the relevance of the „panoptic‟ procedures and instruments in the present time and make the theory more functional and applicable to various literary texts discussing human conditioning. Finally, on a personal level, reading and analysing Adibah Amin‟s English-language works has inspired me to further unearth her subtle complexity and profundity through different perspectives in the future. Having discovered and understood Michel Foucault‟s

„panopticism‟, this research has triggered and affirmed my interest in the subject matter of conditioning to such an extent that it has strongly influenced my future academic aspirations.

1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

This research is guided by the following objectives:

1. To reveal Adibah Amin‟s representation of the procedures of

„panopticism‟ in her English prose writings.

2. To divulge Adibah Amin‟s representation of the instruments of

„panopticism‟ in her English prose writings.

3. To address Adibah Amin‟s representation of the panoptic characteristics

fabricated out of the procedures and instruments of „panopticism‟ in her

English prose writings.

1.6 LITERATURE REVIEW

This section will first provide the biography of Adibah Amin and subsequently, review any literature relevant to her works. Her marginalised status combined with the elaborated Malaysian literary scene in the English language ipso facto justifies the lack of relevant academic literature included herein. The analysis reviewed herein, therefore, is considered comprehensive against the scarcity of resource.

1.6.1 Biography

Khalidah Adibah Amin or better known as Adibah Amin, was born on 19th February

1936 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Her father, a Malay of Arab descent died of tuberculosis and consequently her mother, widely recognised as Ibu Zain, a prominent historical figure fighting for Malaya‟s independence, raised Adibah and her siblings all on her own. It was this very noble need to help her mother that initially launched

Adibah‟s writing endeavours and eventually, transformed her into a professional child writer at the age of fourteen. She attended Bandar Tinggi Malay Girls School from

1942 to 1945, Bandar Tinggi Girls Religious School from 1942 to 1947 and later the

Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus and the Ibrahim Girls School from 1946 to 1950.

She enrolled at the University of Malaya as a student of Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in

Malay Studies. This decision to undertake Arts over Medicine for her academic venture essentially reflected her intensified commitment to writing

She became a teacher in 1958 at the Malay Girls‟ College, Kuala Lumpur

(which later was relocated to Seremban and renamed as Tunku Kurshiah) and became the principal of Sekolah Menengah Sri Puteri, Kuala Lumpur in 1970. She then resumed her teaching career as a lecturer at the Institute of Language in Kuala

Lumpur. While assuming her role as a teacher, Adibah also continued her writing career when she became a journalist under The News Straits Times Press Sdn Bhd

(NSTP) in 1971. In 1984, she left NSTP to become a freelance writer. In the early

90s, she joined The Star and wrote a column specifically to teach the Malay language.

Adibah is also regarded for her numerous translation works of famous writers both local and international, and also for her contributions to educational writings, particularly in languages.

In the 1970s, Adibah Amin was approached by the late Tan Sri Lee Siew Yee, the then editor-in-chief of New Straits Times with a request Adibah deemed simultaneously exciting and terrifying, which was to author a column for the paper.

As I Was Passing, as the column was called, was published weekly or biweekly and it received mixed reviews based on the letters from the readers. Berita Publishing later in 1976 and 1978 published two volumes of Adibah‟s selected pieces from the column. After almost 29 years, in 2007, MPH Group Publishing made the honourable effort of republishing her 1970s selections in two volumes, retaining the name of the column as the title of the books. This study will look into these later volumes as the former ones ceased to be in print subsequent to the discontinuation of Berita

Publishing. Nevertheless, Manaf and Quayum in their book offers an analysis of the initial volumes, which had different arrangements from the ones analysed herein.

Additionally, both groups of volumes differ in their Forewords‟ writers whereas the former volumes had Tun Mohamed Suffian and Dol Ramli in Volume One and Two respectively, the later volumes were both written by Eric Forbes.

1.6.2 Review

The name „Adibah Amin‟ may faintly ring a bell among the younger generations nowadays, except to those exposed to her writings, which, unfortunately, is becoming a rarity. Although her volumes of As I Was Passing fare better in terms of recognition than Glimpses: Cameos of Malaysian Life, which was written more than a decade after the volumes, all three works are mostly reviewed in the blogging sphere but remain understudied academically; the latter especially comes to naught. Unearthing studies pertaining to her English works has indeed been discouraging, quantitatively and qualitatively. This scarcity itself highlights the marginalised status of Adibah Amin as an English language writer and of her works. What has given rise to her marginalisation? This question resonates with an analysis done by Nor Faridah Abdul

Manaf and Mohammad A. Quayum on the initial published volumes of As I Was

Passing in Colonial to Global: Malaysian Women’s Writing in English 1940s – 1990s

(2003), which is the only academic literature studying Adibah‟s anecdotal writings in

English in detail. A critical discussion of this analysis will hopefully be deemed sufficient to illustrate the relevance and significance of this research.

It is equally noted that “local literary critics and compilers have largely ignored [Adibah]‟s writings in English and especially her journalistic writings” and

“her role as an influence to young writers in the 1980s and 1990s has been marginalised” notwithstanding the fact that As I Was Passing “became best sellers upon their initial publication” (Nor Faridah & Quayum, p.220). Why are her writings

continuously located at the periphery of attention? Tun Mohamed Suffian as argued in the research, undermines the magnitude of Adibah‟s works when he specifically regards them as “mere entertaining and amusing portraits of Malaysian life and culture” (p.232) in the Foreword of the first volume. Dol Ramli in the Foreword of the subsequent volume is criticised for describing “[Adibah] and her writings as though he was describing some exotic cuisine” (p.244). All these remarks emphasising the light tone of Adibah‟s writings, nonetheless, do not contradict how

Adibah herself regards her writings as she explicitly states in the Preface that she wrote from her heart for she was specifically requested to “relax and just write in [her] own” as Tan Sri Lee was under the impression that “readers would like food for thought served with a light touch” (vii). She further hopes that readers “will enjoy

„passing‟ though these little byways of life” (ix).

This research does not disregard the humour in Adibah‟s writings or even consider it as a flaw marring her craftsmanship or decreasing the gravity of her intellect. Conversely, this thesis is of the notion that it should not only be valued (as prevalently testified) but also deemed characteristic of her intelligence thus creating a platform for more intellectual discussions and further, used against the simplistic sweeping opinion of her prose. However, the scarcity of studies of her anecdotes has given rise to several concerns. Is it possible because of the humorous nature of her writings, she is constantly underrated and overlooked, which leads to her marginalised status? Do we simply take her writings at face value? Are they merely to be „passed‟ by or „glimpsed‟ at? Do one‟s writings need to wrap around grim and tragic details with glaring violence, anger and hatred, weave complex tropes and jargons and craft documented history and politics, so as to be esteemed highly and taken seriously? As written in one of her anecdotes in As I Was Passing Volume I, we all should “look at

life with a touch of gaiety” for “the music of humanity is not always sad” (Adibah, p.15). Perhaps, this witty comment is a response she dedicates to those trivialising and dismissing her comedic persona. Given her astute and keen viewpoint, it is highly likely that she was aware of how she was received following the fame of As I Was

Passing.

In the latest edition of the volumes of As I Was Passing (2007), Eric Forbes in the Foreword praises Adibah for her “finely wrought prose” (xii), being “adept at observing and capturing the nuances of mundane life and all the subtle contradictions buried beneath the stoic exterior of Malaysians” (xiii), and having “an eye and ear attending to every detail, every nuance of idiom and character” (xiv). He further admits that “though light in texture, Adibah‟s prose is very filling” (xiv) and “though humorous, her wealth of intriguing stories also bristle with a tinge of a lament for lost times” (xv). This finely-worded Foreword transparently demonstrates Forbes‟ recognition of Adibah‟s profound thoughts beneath the casual tone characterising her essays. Another writer, whose view of Adibah‟s writings displays his attentiveness to her subtleties, depth and intellect, and who sees Adibah beyond her humour, is Amir

Muhammad.

In the Introduction of Glimpses: Cameos of Malaysian Life, his emphasis on

Adibah‟s comical sense only comes at the end of the text for his compliments of

Adibah‟s writing skills and viewpoints are penned at great length (almost four pages to be exact). According to Amir, “Adibah is able to put herself into the footwear...of others” (viii) and that her high sense of empathy “could only have come about through a keen intelligence, instinctive curiosity and a firm sense of fair play” (viii). In alluding to Adibah‟s exceptional ability in expressing her opinions and criticisms, which at times were controversial (if pondered deeply) and distinctive against the

existing norms, and simultaneously pointing out that she never seemed “to have an axe to grind”, Amir attributes such skills “to her artistry” (x). Hence, Forbes‟ and

Amir‟s testimonies have certainly cast new light on Adibah‟s English prose writings.

Before the issues of marginalisation and Adibah‟s thoughts begin to dominate this section substantially, here is a critical discussion of the selected literature. In

Colonial to Global: Malaysian Women’s Writing in English 1940s – 1990s (Manaf &

Quayum, 2003), Adibah‟s anecdotes in As I Was Passing are labelled as „Occasional

Writing‟ and placed in a single chapter independently. In spite of having secured a whole chapter to themselves, the volumes unfortunately are not and could not be analysed exhaustively since the focus is “to summarise [Adibah‟s] major thematic preoccupations in her writing” (p.222) hence, only some anecdotes are prioritised and studied with considerable depth. Additionally, the fact that the volumes combined consist of 212 anecdotes justifies the limited foray of the research. Given that the book‟s main objective is to analyse “the evolution of Anglophone women‟s writings in Malaysia” (p.6), the literary works, including those of Adibah, are read in consideration of several literary and cultural theories such as those of feminism and post-colonialism. It also includes Adibah‟s opinion on her writings as she has been interviewed by the researchers themselves, which provides a great insight into understanding her thoughts. The analysis, despite not being comprehensive of every piece of As I Was Passing, is significantly representative of Adibah‟s thoughts. She is identified as one whose interests revolve around a myriad of issues such that “it is difficult to reduce her wealth of experience to a central interest – less to confine her to a rigid categorisation of genre” (p.257).Nevertheless, it is noted that she too has a number of thematic preoccupations which include “race relations, man-woman relations and religion” (p.223). A noteworthy trait of Adibah which is vividly crafted