It is a wonderful day to write

Hello ladies and gentleman, I decided to write a book review/daily experience at least 3 times a week to improve my language skills as I am still in a learning process even though I am taking English major which most people think that I definitely have an amazing utterances and writings(most English major are stereotyped that way).
As a Southeast Asian guy, I love to explore as much as the surroundings have to offer. Most probably you won't see me writing about the native English speaking world i.e.; United Kingdom, America and Australia. I love local literature because it offers colorful perspective and a sense of pride in one's country. Things that you will probably not see in the modern life.
Today, I want to share a book review i have made during my Malaysian Singaporean Literature class conducted by Prof. Faridah in IIUM.

Isa Kamari, RAWA. Trans. R Krishnan. Kuala Lumpur: Silverfish Books, 2013. 176 pp. ISBN: 978-983-3221-43-1

Pulau Batu Puteh or Pedra Branca is situated where the Singapore Strait meets South China Sea. When Malaysia published a map which showed the island to be within its territorial waters on 21st December 1979, Singapore lodged a formal protest with Malaysia in response to it. They proposed submitting the dispute to ICJ (International Court of Justice) for further resolution. The result on 23rd May 2008, the Court ruled that Pedra Branca is under Singapore’s sovereignty. Rawa requires the reader to confront with the history of the indigenous society being one with nature in the water, free from modernity, igniting the spirit of identity for the next generation. This is the English-language translation of Isa Kamari’s 2009 novel, originally titled Rawa: Tragedi Pulau Batu Puteh.

The setting of this story took place at both Johor and Singapore Straits before the independence, and after independence of both Malaysia and Singapore. Isa Kamari describes the history of Orang Seletar through Rawa, a boy who was born to live in pau kajang houseboat at Seletar River from his childhood days through the generation of modern Singapore.  The title Rawa which is the name of the protagonist in this book literally means the swamp, conceptually as suggested in the book; Rawa is the name of the land, water and the wind, which are the embodiment of the traits of the country. It may also be the portrayal of historical account on Pulau Batu Puteh as title in Malay version suggested.  Uniquely, Rawa is the representative of indigenous Orang Seletar immersed with Malay culture in Singapore whom responds with concern towards the survival of their race and struggle through political changes between Singapore and Malaysia from 1950s through 21^st century back and forth in a form of reminiscence of the past by the protagonist.

Seletar River where Rawa lives are a harmonious, peaceful village where he usually plays with his friend Ayong, Orang Kallang who lives at Pulai River in Johor who often visits him.  His conversation with Ayong made him realize that the way Orang Seletar and Orang Kallang lives are the same even though they have different religion. Orang Seletar believes in the sacred Raja Perempuan and the spirit of Orang Kita. Where they believe they need to live harmoniously and peacefully with the nature. Ethics are taught through the beliefs that every place and the nature have its own guardian who served Raja Perempuan and Orang Kita. In which there are no difference with Islamic teaching on faith that Ayong had. There is a lot of discussion on living harmoniously between races and beliefs in the early chapters. The Chinese came to the rivers for trading purposes, Malay, Orang Seletar and Orang Kallang lives harmoniously. Marriage between Orang Seletar and Orang Kallang also been discussed as one of the aspect of unity between races. Rawa later married to Temah, a Muslim girl and he converted to Islam.

When the news on Ayong’s death arrives to Rawa’s ears, he still think about the challenge that Ayong made for him to explore Pulau Batu Puteh. Pulau Batu Puteh is known for its strong current and many ship tragically crushed on its presence. Rawa realizes that Ayong have stolen his descendant’s ring after Ayong went to Pulau Batu Puteh. The ring symbolizes the hope of survival for Orang Seletar descendants. When the ring goes missing, Rawa had a terrible nightmare about the ring and Ayong gave a hint that he should go to Pulau Batu Puteh. Rawa have struggled with the nightmare for seventy years, trying to find a solution to put an end to his nightmare.

Rawa witnesses and experiences changing of modern and the traditional life when he moved to his daughter’s apartment in Yishun district from Kampong Bakar Batu after his wife’s death. His daughter named Kuntum married to Lamit who works at the ships repairing company. Rawa learns alot from his grandson named Hassan who guides him to walk around the modern Singapore and he sees Hassan as the legacy of his descendants. Rawa’s determination to solve his nightmare about Pulau Batu Puteh gets stronger when he knew that his grandson wants to go for a two-day canoeing around Singapore. Throughout the modern chapter, he always thought about freedom from confinement and rules of the society. The way of life that he used to practice back then has no longer existed through many situations that he encounters in the modern city. Back then during the occupation of the Japanese and the British colony, Orang Seletar who lived in the rivers with their pau kajang and houseboats lived peacefully around mangroves and swamps without having to cope with the political conflict that is happening around in the city.

Rawa is the tragic figure of Pulau Batu Puteh tragedy because he died immediately after he reaches Pulau Batu Puteh with his grandson Hassan. Furthermore, Rawa’s death is a very controversial issue between Malaysia and Singapore because he is a Malaysian citizen and allowed to reach Pulau Batu Puteh without anyone's consent which is still in a major dispute during that time. Both Singapore Marine Police and Malaysian Marine Police trying to find a solution for the territorial dispute involving a Malaysian in Pulau Batu Puteh which was guarded by the Singaporean Marines. Both countries claim that Pulau Batu Puteh was theirs according to history of sultanate treaty or it was in line with their sovereignty borders. In the prologue, Hassan state that it is not Pulau Batu Puteh that matters, but Rawa matters in his heart portraying life of the loved ones as priceless and can not be compared with anything.

The novel strikes at the dispute of Pulau Batu Puteh in a subtle way using the history of Orang Seletar as a key towards the relationship of Malaysia and Singapore. In pau kajang song as taught by Orang Seletar descendants, the last two lines of the last stanza;

Do not dream of too much brightness

Be happy in the simplicity of peace and friendship

This line conveys that, we should not expect perfection, instead lead a simple and prosperous life. There will be problems anywhere in the world, but the way we go through it is the thing that matters. The philosophy beyond this book makes it interesting to read as there are so many things that Orang Seletar learn through nature that they do not need education from school to live. Modernization might ruin the past but that does not mean we should abandon technology and live as our forefathers did centuries ago. We must cope with the future and find a solution towards a prosperous life. One thing that we learn from the Pulau Batu Puteh dispute is that, Singapore gets their Batu Puteh, but the relationship between the two countries is at stake and created hatred on the other side.

            Much thought has gone into the book’s design, particularly the drawings of pau kajang on the front cover. It captures my eye with the drawings using pencil showing the indigenous people unite on the river with their pau kajang. It has some sort of calamity and tranquility feels on the cover of the book. The book indeed look appealing as if it has some mysteries to unfold and histories to be told. There is also no error in spelling throughout the reading of this book.

                                                Muhammad Haekal Bin Amron

                                                International Islamic University Malaysia