Novel
Interlock
Interlok
Abdullah Hussain · 1971
Synopsis
On the Malay peninsula under British rule, three families make their way: that of the Malay Seman, that of the Chinese Chin Huat and that of the Indian Maniam. The novel follows their generations through economic hardship, cultural differences and political upheavals, from the colonial era to the Japanese occupation, and shows how their destinies intertwine.
Context
Written for the 1967 novel competition, in which it was awarded a prize, the book was published in 1971. Made compulsory reading for fifth-year secondary school pupils, it provoked a fierce controversy in early 2011: part of the Indian community felt hurt by the expression “pariah caste”. The debate reached the government and the press, and the book remained on the syllabus at the cost of amendments. An English translation appeared in 2010.
Who it is for
A long novel, over four hundred pages, in Malay; it exists in English. The controversy sheds light on the reading of certain passages.
Prizes and reception
Awarded a prize in the 1967 national competition; the most debated of the Malay novels on the school curriculum.
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