Sumbangsih MAS: A Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Exhibition

A prominent expert and activist of the Malay language, literature and culture who never stops writing and imparting his knowledge. This succinctly sums up Haji Muhammad Ariff Ahmad, better known by his pen name MAS, and his contributions to Singapore as well as the region. 

Muhammad Ariff Bin Ahmad was born on 6^th December 1924 at 25 Outram Road, Singapore. His birth place was known as Kampong Tiong. The second child of a family of four children, Ariff was brought up in different parts of Singapore, including Newton Road, Dunearn Road, Tiong Bahru and Henderson Road. He did not attend school but was taught to read the Quran by his father in the evening. In the day time he would sell cakes made by his mother, a housewife.

In school, Muhammad Ariff loved reading and took part in many writing competitions. He also wrote for the Scouts magazine in his school and dreamt of becoming a full-time witer. Despite being equally good at drawing, Muhammad Ariff chose to focus on writing.

The start of the Second World War disrupted Muhammad Ariff’s studies and he was enrolled in a Japanese school. After the war, he studied in Sultan Idris Training College, Tanjung Malim, Perak to fulfill his father’s wish for him to be a teacher. Fortunately, his career as a teacher gave him the opportunities to continue writing. With a group of other writers, he founded Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 (Asas ’50), a Malay literary organisation that has played a significant role in developing Malay literature in Singapore and the region.

Muhammad Ariff has written numerous books including short stories, non-fiction, children’s literature and school textbooks. He also writes articles and essays for newspapers and magazines in Singapore and Malaysia. Apart from that, he has also written drama and documentary scripts for television and radio broadcasts.

Muhammad Ariff has many pseudonyms of which MAS is most recognisable to him. MAS stands for Muhammad Ariff Singapura (Muhammad Ariff of Singapore), an apt moniker as he has become the gold standard for his contributions to Malay language, literature and culture.  His other pen names include M.Arba, P.L. Rajaudang, M.Foerida, Mas Malaya, Mas Tanjung Malim, Mas Tomo, S.P.10 and Minamoria.

The People's Cikgu

Muhammad Ariff’s early education was prompted by his interest in reading. He was able to read the Jawi script because of the religious classes he attended. Ariff’s life saw a dramatic change in November 1933. One afternoon, Ariff was by accident brought into the education world while playing rounders (baseball) in a field in Malcolm Road along Chancery Lane. He was ‘caught‘ by a teacher from Sekolah Melayu Tanglin Besar (Tanglin Besar Malay School), who was furious to see him not in school.

Ariff was immediately enrolled into primary 1 where he studied up to primary 4 in 1937. However, he had to continue study in primary 5 for 3 years in Sekolah Melayu Tanglin Tinggi (Tanglin Tinggi Malay School: Dec 1937- Nov 1940) because his age was short of the requirement to be a Malay teacher which was 16 years old.

He became a trainee teacher in 1940 soon after completing his studies in the Malay school and was posted to Sekolah Melayu Tanglin Tinggi in 1941 until the war broke out. It was the Japanese Occupation that inspired him to be a teacher.

In 1942, Ariff was called up by the Japanese to learn and teach Japanese language in a public school and in 1943-1944 he taught Japanese language in Special Nippon-Go class for teachers and became a Japanese language instructor in a language centre in Pearls Hill School for teachers. It was here that he realised his potential as an educator. His path towards formalising his teacher training came in when the British took over Singapore from the Japanese. Between the years 1946-1949, Ariff was among 15 teacher trainees sent to Sultan Idris Teacher Training College (SITC) in Perak, Malaysia for formal Malay teacher training.

In fact, he was the first to be enrolled. It was in SITC that he became affiliated with many writers and activist all over Malaya from the different Malay states many of whom later became part of Malaysia political movements as well as curators of post war literary developments.

He retired as Senior Lecturer of Institute of Education after which he was appointed as editor of the Malay version of the ‘Grow’ magazine (Majalah Mekar) published by Ministry of Education. Ariff produced many school text books during his stint in TTC and IE and was behind the scheme of work for the teaching of Malay Language, Literature and Science in Malay language for Singapore schools.

Ariff was also member of the Romanized Malay Spelling committee that developed the Singapore Malay language. After which he organized the First Malay National Language Congress in Singapore in 1966.

MAS’ contributions as a teacher was not confined to the realms of the school. As highlighted by Mr. Guntor Sadali, former editor Berita Harian/Berita Minggu  “Cikgu Ariff is a reference point of the community and he is ever ready with the answers when there are issues about the Malay Language.”  He was able to reach out to the community through his regular columns published and broadcasted through the mainstreams media.

Among some of his works which still being used as references are Mari Kita Berpantun (Satu Petunjuk), NILAM, Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa, Bicara tentang Adat dan Tradisi and Mutiara Bijaksana.

Arts for the People

He is also one of the founding members of the Angkatan Sasterawan '50 (ASAS '50) the literary organisation that champions the rights of the community through the writings of its members. MAS immortalised  the birth of ASAS’50 - 6th day of August 1950 through his poem Long live Unity:

Long-lived Unity

(my salute to the Singapore Writers Movement '50 [Angkatan Sasterawan '50])

Sunday morning

6 August, 19 fifty

a bunch of bananas are tied under the old canvas

19 young men with keris, seating in a row

the oratory delivered with great spirit

debating, exchanging views – reaching  a consensus

setting up an association for writers:

Angkatan Sasterawan '50 -  Asas '50

Discussion strengthens:

ideas: unity is strength, division is weakness 

idea: nurturing new literature, strengthening old literature

aspirations : literary works is the achievement of full independence

slogan: the art of literature for the people

action: individual acts in a strong association

Angkatan Sasterawan '50  - Asas '50

May Asas 50:

its birth:  welcomed by the people

its life: blessed by the people

because

its aspiration is the people' s aspiration

its fight is the people's fight

to achieve one objective

a healthy  and strong independent Malaya.

Long live

Angkatan Sasterawan '50.

ASAS '50 was established with the belief that "united we stand, divided we fall" as expressed in his poem, Long-lived Unity, (my salute to the Singapore Writers Movement ’50 [Angkatan Sasterawan ’50]).

MAS’ first foray in creative writing was in the field of radio drama. During the Japanese Occupation, he was requested to produce drama scripts for radio broadcast. The drama series Oleh-Oleh Pembelaan Seorang Ibu and Inikah Balasanmu, based on Mas’ scripts, were broadcasted in 1943.

At the same time, MAS decided to record and report the cruelty of Japanese soldiers. However, his short stories such as Pokok Jarak (Barbados nut- a biodiesel plant) and Pondok Buruk (Old Hut) were rejected and not published because the anti-Japanese sentiments were too strong. Pak Sako (Dr Ishak Haji Muhammad), the writer for Semangat Asia advised him to stop if he wished to stay alive.

MAS, together with other writer friends, were conscious of the potential of arts as an instrument to build a society which was facing an uncertain future after the Japanese Occupation. Literature became a platform to seek independence from colonisation and redress for social injustices.  It also reflected the hope and ambition to achieve the common goal of attaining "full independence" through their literary works and through the Arts for the masses.

In 1947, Mas completed his first novel Menyahut Seruan Ibunda (Answering the Call of Motherland). It was accepted for publication by Cikgu Harun Aminurrashid. However, it was published as a series in the magazine Mutiara.

For MAS, writing is his responsibility to allow his fellow countrymen to view life positively and lead a meaningful existence. His novelette Sarah Pengarang Kechil, published in 1957, for example, exemplified his concerns on the importance of education for the new generation to rise. The novelette was adopted as a text book for Malay literature and was reprinted five more times.

Another famous work of MAS, the novel Mail Mau Kawin (Mail Wants to Wed), published in 1976, discusses the issues of the Malay community at that time. The importance of lifelong learning was subtly touched upon as one of the ways to overcome the vicious cycle of poverty. It was also reprinted 5 more times.

The poem "Is it true?" is one of many poems that gave rise to polemics when it was published in the March 3, 1974 in Berita Harian daily.

Is it true?

Is it true

That the truth

Is true?

Is it true

That the truth is

true?

Is it true

That the truth is true?

It’s not true!

This poem triggered the readers to reflect and compare between Truth and Falsehood. It is a simple poem but has a very deep meaning when interpreted and discussed. The writing style has attracted responses from many writers to pen their works in similar style as though it is so easy to create one poetry with "just changing a few words and reorganizing these words."

But this poem was able to provoke readers  “through the beauty of poetry and also at the same time get us to think about life."

His works covered almost 65 years of his devotion in the literary field and comprised various themes and messages that expressed the thoughts of his journey and struggle in the field of literature, language and culture.  At the same time, his poems also served as a documentation of our social memories.

Citizen MAS

MAS’ contributions are not limited to the realms of education and his writings. He is well known as a mover of Malay literature but his influence can also be seen in the fields of language and culture.

Mas was appointed as the chairman of the Malay Literature Prize committee that was formed on 7^th July 1974 with the aim of promoting Malay literature in Singapore. Initiated by ASAS50, it was supported by 18 other non-governmental organisations. Today the award is known as the Malay Literary Award under the purview of Malay Language Council of Singapore.

Malay Language Council of Singapore is also responsible for organising the Malay Language Month campaign. MAS has been participating in such an initiative since 1965 when it was known as National Language Month.

In 1988, Mas penned the lyrics to Bahasa Menjunjung Budaya which has remained as the Malay Language Month’s theme song till today.

Apart from the organisations and committees related to literature, language and education, Mas participated in various other organisations and committees, such as board member of Singapore Broadcasting Corporation; council member for the Associate of Muslims Professionals; member of the board History Museum; board member of Malay Heritage Centre Foundation; and also held a number of appointments in the committees, boards and panels of the mosques and MUIS. This clearly illustrates his calibre and the high regard the Malay/Muslim community has for him.   

The various awards and accolades bestowed upon Mas are testaments to a life dedicated to serving the community. Even till today, in his late 80s, Mas is still sharing his knowledge, thoughts and ideas via a weekly newspaper column in Berita Harian. The incomparable MAS is indeed an iconic national treasure that may never be replaced.

"The life of a tree bears fruit; Let the life of humans be fruitful". This is MAS’ philosophy which was manifested in his many contributions to the community. Although he had received numerous awards in recognition of his contributions to society, he is still ever ready to continue to share his knowledge, expertise and service as inscribed  in the words of  Kiayi (religious leader) in the poem What will I become?:

“What should I become?

The Kiayi says: Be as complete as a human can be

to the Creator, to others-have piety, have compassion

so that you will get Allah’s blessings, even the people will respect you

this will benefit you in life, even in the hereafter, you will not lose anything…”

References:

Juffri Supa’at (2012). Sumbangsih MAS: Koleksi puisi pilihan. National Library Singapore.

Minamoria (24 November, 1974). Sajak harus dibaca, didengar dan dilihat. Berita Harian.

Mohamed Pitchay Gani Bin Mohamed Abdul Aziz (2005). Leksikon – Direktori penulis Singapura pasca 1965. Singapore: Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 & National Library Board

Muhammad Ariff Ahmad (2003). Perjalanan Mas – Memoir Muhammad Ariff Ahmad. Singapore: Angkatan Sasterawan ’50.

Muhammad Ariff Ahmad (2003). Perjalanan Mas – Memoir Muhammad Ariff Ahmad. Singapore: Angkatan Sasterawan ’50.

Razak Jaafar (12 May, 1974). Janganlah jadikan taman ini medan bersenda seperti hippi dalam khayalan pil MX – Ekoran sajak MAS Benarkah” Berita Harian.

 BiblioAsia Volume 9 Issue 1 Apr-Jun 2013 hlm 45-57