ABOUT USMAN AWANG

Malaysian National Laureate Dato' Dr. Usman Awang or also known as by his many pen names such as Tongkat Warrant, Adi Jaya and Atma Jiwa. U.A. was born on July 12th 1929, in Kampung Tanjung Lembu, Kuala Sedili, Kota Tinggi, Johor. His early education was in Sekolah Melayu Kuala Sedili (1936), Mersing (1937) and Bandar Maharani (1940) until he passed Standard VI. Additionally, his contributions to this institution and literature are absolutely not small. He died peacefully on the 29th November of 2001 at the age of 72 after a long and tiring battle against his heart disease.

Father Utih I He has one wife – whom he embraces until death five children who want to eat everyday an old hut where an inherited tale is hanging a piece of barren land to cultivate. The skin of his hands is taut and calloused accustomed to any amount of sweat O Father Utih, the worthy peasant. But malaria comes hunting them even though he offers a million prayers and Mother Utih calls the village medicine man for magic formulas, curses repeatedly chanted. The medicine man with his reward goes home with money and a pullet tied together.

II In towns the leaders keep shouting of elections and the people’s freedom of thousand-fold prosperity in a sovereign state a golden bridge of prosperity into the world hereafter. When victory brightly shines the leaders in cars move forward, their chests thrust forward O! the beloved subjects wave their hands. Everywhere there are banquets and festivities delicious roast chicken is served chicken from the village promised prosperity. Father Utih still waits in prayer where are the leaders going in their limousines?

Usman Awang 1954

Poems Meaning In this poem, Pak Utih,( Father Utih, 1954) Usman Awang exposes unfullfilled promises of "freedom" under the newly -independent nation state. Pak Utih still want to wait for better medical care while he pays the medicine man (or Pak Dukun) from the meagre store he has earned by the sweat of his brow. The juxtuposition of the rural citizenry with those in towns who too readily wave their hands as leaders pass in their limousines thematises the poet’s recurrent concern with the rural-urban divide. Banquets, feasting are activities of urban, bourgeois citizens who have forgotten the contribution of the peasant and do not care to know of his suffering. An independent nation with such uncaring leaders and citizens is really directionless beneath its surface progress and development. The final line: “Where are the leaders going in their limousines?” aptly sums up the general lack of a political will to effect change for the likes of Pak Utih.

THEMES. The poverty and rough life of an ordinary people in a village and the lifestyle gap of the leaders and the subordinates . MORAL VALUES As a leader, they must know theit responsibility and aware of people's problem. They must show their credibility instead of being proud of their position/money .