Mana Sikana Named Malaysia’s 16th National Laureate, Honouring a Lifetime Contribution to Malay Literature
Abdul Rahman Napiah’s Recognition Ends Years of Speculation Within Literary Circles
PETALING JAYA — The appointment of Abdul Rahman Napiah, widely known by his pen name Mana Sikana, as the recipient of Malaysia’s Anugerah Sastera Negara or National Laureate Award has been described as a long-overdue recognition of one of the country’s most influential literary thinkers and writers.
The announcement officially ended years of speculation among Malaysia’s literary community regarding who would be selected as the nation’s 16th National Laureate following the appointment of Rahman Shaari in 2022.
The lengthy gap between announcements had previously sparked concerns within literary circles over whether Malaysia still possessed literary figures worthy of receiving the country’s highest literary honour.
However, many writers, academics and literary observers viewed Mana Sikana’s selection as a fitting and well-deserved decision due to his extensive contributions to Malay literature, literary criticism and intellectual discourse over several decades.
Throughout his career, the late author produced a wide range of literary works spanning novels, short stories, plays, essays and literary criticism that significantly shaped the evolution of modern Malay literature.
His works were widely recognised not only for their strong language and storytelling techniques, but also for their bold intellectual themes, critical perspectives and exploration of human values and social realities.
Apart from being known as a prolific creative writer, Abdul Rahman Napiah was also regarded as a major literary theorist who introduced influential approaches such as teksdealisme and taabudiyah into Malaysia’s literary criticism landscape.
He was further recognised as a pioneer of avant-garde elements in modern Malay theatre, reflecting his willingness to challenge conventional literary forms and explore new intellectual directions.
Fadhlina Sidek said the Anugerah Sastera Negara goes beyond recognising creative excellence alone.
According to her, the award also evaluates a figure’s intellectual contributions, values, leadership and influence in building the nation’s literary and knowledge traditions.
She explained that the selection process involved a comprehensive evaluation based on literary achievements, contributions to literary development, leadership within literary organisations, mentorship of younger writers and the long-term impact of the candidate’s works on society.
“The evaluation also considers whether the works produced can continue benefiting future generations,” she said.
Fadhlina also assured that the entire selection process was conducted professionally, transparently and with integrity by an evaluation panel appointed by the government.
Mana Sikana’s literary journey began at a young age when his short story Kawan yang Berbudi dan Berduri was published in Berita Harian newspaper in 1964 while he was only 18 years old.
The story later won a top literary prize and became a proud moment for Sekolah Menengah Izzuddin Shah in Ipoh, which reportedly declared a school holiday to celebrate the achievement of its student at the time.
The moment marked the beginning of a long and influential literary career that would eventually place him among Malaysia’s most respected literary figures.
Rahman Shaari, who also served on the selection panel, described Mana Sikana as a literary scholar with extraordinary mastery of literary theories.
According to him, the late writer frequently combined Western literary theories, Islamic perspectives and his own original theories when analysing literary works by Malaysian authors.
Although the panel had already selected Mana Sikana in April 2025, he passed away on May 26 the same year before the official announcement was made.
However, amendments to the rules governing the Anugerah Sastera Negara approved by the Cabinet in January 2026 allowed deceased candidates who passed away during the evaluation period to remain eligible for consideration.
As the 16th National Laureate, the late author’s family will receive several honours from the government, including an official state recognition letter, RM60,000 in cash and publication support of up to 50,000 copies of his works valued at a maximum of RM500,000 for distribution to schools, libraries and government agencies.
Many within the literary community believe the recognition of Mana Sikana represents not only an honour for an exceptional writer, but also a tribute to the intellectual legacy and enduring influence he left on the development of modern Malay literature in Malaysia.
-wilayah.com.my
