PAK SAKO' SHORT STORIES (1936 TO 1941): THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEFTIST MALAY NATIONALISM

Abstract

Utilizing Pak Sako's short stories written between 1936 and 1941, this study is interested to uncover the development of leftist Malay nationalism during the pre-war period. Nationalism within the Malay society can best be understood as the process of championing the Malay bangsa. Since the turn of the twentieth century, there emerged a dual yet intertwining concern on the perceived weaknesses within the Malay bangsa and the threat posed by 'others', particularly the foreign immigrants. This concern became heightened in the 1930s due to the increasingly felt presence of the Chinese and the Great Depression of 1930 that further highlighted the backwardness of Malays. The period 1930s also witnessed the emergence of two group of elites, characteristically known as the 'rightist' and 'leftist'. Through his short stories, we will explore Pak Sako's shift towards 'leftist' politics to champion the cause of the Malay bangsa. There are two parts to this study: The first section explores the specific issues between 1936 and 1941 that continued to influence the perception of Malay weaknesses and threats posed by 'others'. Pak Sako's leftist leanings will also be elaborated. The second section will study the short stories that were written from 1939 onwards and the solutions they provided to tackle the problems faced by Malay bangsa. Through these solutions, one can better understand the shift towards radical politics and second, the vision of the Malay 'nation' that is being proposed by the Malay leftists.