Building bridges through literature

IT WOULD be exceptional for students of Malay literature not to be familiar with the works of Prof Dato Dr Hashim Awang, 71. He has authored more than 24 academic books on the subject.

Indeed, for some the Malay Literature Professor at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) is more than just an author or academic, as many see his passion in teaching literature as a way of bringing unity among nations.

In recognition for his work, Prof Dato' Hashim, originally from Terengganu, Malaysia, was one of two Malaysians to recently receive the Outstanding Malaysian Citizen Award.

The ceremony, held late last month, marked local history as it was the first time ever that the High Commission of Malaysia in Brunei had dedicated the award to Malaysians in Brunei.

In recognition of his deeds and contributions to the community, the award was presented to him by Malaysian High Commissioner Dato' Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari on August 31 after the flag-raising ceremony to mark the 52nd anniversary of Malaysia's National Day.

"They have indirectly contributed a lot to the Brunei community. They are recognised by the people here," Dato' Ku Jaafar said at the event.

The other person to receive the award was Simon D Gelan, President of the Malaysian Citizens Association (PWM).

Prof Dato' Hashim's outstanding service is through his teaching, which dates all the way back to 1955 when he was a probationary teacher at a primary school in Terengganu. Even at that time, the professor began devoting his attention to Malay literature, especially in comparative literature, and began writing critiques.

The professor completed his diploma in Education at Sultan Idris Training College in Tanjung Malim, Perak, in 1957 and continued his studies at the Language Institute in Kuala Lumpur from 1962 to 1963.

He went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) at Universiti Malaya in 1970, followed by his master's in arts at the same university in 1973.

He completed another master's degree, this time at the University of Wisconsin in the US, in 1976, and then completed his PhD at Universiti Malaya in 1986. He was inaugurated as professor in Universiti Malaya in 1991.

Prof Dato' Hashim has held his position at UBD for 11 years. He arrived in the Sultanate in 1998 after retiring his previous position as tutor and lecturer in Malay Literature Studies at Universiti Malaya (UM), a position he had held since 1970.

Before joining UM as academic staff, and while completing his undergraduate studies, his full-time jobs included being principal and teacher at primary schools and junior high schools from 1957 to 1970.

Recalling how came to teach in Brunei, Prof Dato' Hashim explained that many Bruneians had attended his lectures at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Back then, UBD simply did not exist yet, so many Bruneians went to study in Malaysia, he said, adding that this was true for both students in of undergraduate and graduate courses.

"So, from there, people from Brunei knew me and my contributions in writing books. So UBD offered me to work here after I retired from UM," he recalled.

But his escalation of the academic ladder did not stop there. From 1999 to 2002, he held the position of Head of Malay Literature Department at UBD.

At UBD alone, he has supervised five graduate students in obtaining their master's degrees and currently has two PhD candidates under his guidance. In 2005, the first local to earn his PhD from UBD was under Prof Dato' Hashim's tutelage, and since joining UBD in February 1998 he has witnessed some 1,000 students, mostly Bruneians, earn their degrees there.

At UBD, the professor explained, he teaches students to evaluate literary works, such as poems, prose, dramas and novels, and gives guidance on how to appreciate each piece. Each year he teaches 50 to 80 students on the subject of critiquing literature.

The aim of this class is to understand certain theories on literature and to learn a deeper appreciation of the psychology of the writer and the characters used within the literary works. In doing so, he said, students learn about the society or the culture that the writer lived in.

"During my time at UBD, I have found that students respond positively towards Malay literature. They have shown a high interest in studying literature, especially Brunei literary works," he said.

"They are really interested in learning about the history of their own literature, and indeed all high-quality works, and especially literature that touches religious issues," he added.

The students also consistently express their interest in studying literature from around the world. Through their studies, he said, they learn other countries' cultures and sometime find similarities between one country and another.

Recognising these similarities in literature from differnt nations, he explained, helps foster good relations with other countries. For example, literature from Southeast Asian countries such Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, all share similarities on the subject that the literature focuses on, such as society and culture, Prof Dato' Hashim explained.

The similarities are not restricted to those among Southeast Asian nations, he added, but also extend between Southeast Asia and East Asia.

"This can be a bridge to enhance relations between Brunei Darussalam and other countries in the region," he said.

To help make this happen, he added, at UBD he not only teaches literature theory in his classes but also has established a literature club on campus. The club is called Rakis, named after a poem by well-known Bruneian poet Pg Shahbandar Mohd Salleh.

Members in the club, which is open to all students interested in literature, actively organise performing arts demonstrations, including poem and short-story recitals, and stage performances, as well as group discussions and seminars.

Taking a broader perspective, the club stages its events at UBD and abroad at venues hosted by their counterparts in foreign countries, such as Malaysia. "This can be a bridge for a closer cooperation not only among students in Brunei Darussalam, but also with students from foreign countries."

"Students can strengthen ties through literature," he said.

Prof Dato' Hashim explained that he came to Brunei not only to teach literature and help students to pursue their degree, but also to equip the students with moral values through literature.

While receiving the Outstanding Malaysian Citizen Award last month was certainly a highlight of his career, Prof Dato' Hashim has been recognised for his achievements throughout his life.

In 1957 he received the Hj Abdul Jalail Award for earning the highest mark in the exam at Sultan Idris Training College, and the Literary Critics Award in 1973, and honorary doctrate from Terengganu State: Setia Mahkota Terengganu in 1990 and was named Dato' Paduka Mahkota Terengganu in 1996.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Prof Dato' Hashim plays an important role in promoting the development of literature in Brunei. The Language and Literature Bureau of Brunei Darussalam often ask him to evaluate and comment on literature and to lead workshops on creative writing and critiquing literature.

Besides, the Islamic Da'wah Centre, Ministry of Religious Affairs of Brunei Darussalam has also involved him to actively play a role in advancing Brunei Malay Literature, especially in Islamic literature.

Despite his age, Prof Dato' Hashim still plays an active role in society, and has been appointed adviser to Persatuan Kebajikan Melayu Malaysia (Malay Welfare Association of Malaysia), which actively promotes a wide range social and Islamic activities in Brunei to foster friendship among Malaysians and Bruneians.

He is also adviser to Universiti Malaya Alumni's Brunei Chapter, which was established last year.

Not only has Prof Dato' Hashim enjoyed a life-long passion for literature, his concern for teaching high moral values to his students and his continuing role in society show he has the heart of a true teacher.

The Brunei Times