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PETALING JAYA: Salleh Ben Joned, known for his explicit poems and essays on Malay literature, passed away at the age of 79.
His family confirmed his death in a short post on his Facebook page.
“It is with great sadness that the family of beloved Salleh Ben Joned reports his passing this Thursday, October 29 at 1:21 am from heart failure,” he said.
The publication said that Salleh had experienced breathing difficulties at his home in Subang Jaya on Tuesday and was admitted to the University of Malaya Medical Center for treatment before his death.
He said that due to confinement restrictions, only close family members will be able to participate in prayers and burial.
Salleh, recognized among his peers for his disagreement with traditional writing styles, was best known for publishing works written in both Malay and English. He had also starred in several movies.
After continuing his studies in Australia, Salleh returned to Malaysia in 1973 to work in the Department of English at the University of Malaya until 1983, when he resigned to become a freelance writer.
His works often incorporated graphic sexuality, which was disapproved of by critics of his time. His first collection of poetry, entitled “Sajak-Sajak Salleh / Poems Sacred and Profane”, written in both Malay and English, was published in 1987.
A strong advocate for English works to become part of the local literary scene, Salleh had protested against the decision to recognize Bahasa Malaysian as the national language and medium for Malay literature during the 1980s, and Politics Cultural Nacional, which only awarded local works. written in Malay.
