KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — Malaysian writer Pauline Fan has been shortlisted for an international grant programme for her proposal to translate the Malay historical novel, Hari-Hari Terakhir di Jesselton, into English.
The grant by English Pen and the Booker Prize Foundation that started in 2014 has shortlisted 13 translators for 12 titles from nine languages and nine territories and aims to address the disparity by funding and promoting the work of “global majority” translators so that more literature in translation, created by more people, reaches English-language readers.
Global majority is a term used to refer to non-white ethnic groups, which reportedly represents 80 per cent of the world’s population.
Fan said this also marks the first time English Pen’s translation grant programmes are supporting translations of work originally published in Malay.
“I am honoured to be selected for the shortlist of this important program, which supports the work of literary translators from the ‘global majority’,” she told Malay Mail when contacted today.
“I am especially delighted to be translating Ruhaini Matdarin’s novel, which illuminates a little-known chapter of world history with vibrancy and nuance while challenging the Eurocentric lens, through which such histories are often viewed,” she added.
Hari-Hari Terakhir di Jesselton was originally written by Sabah-born novelist Ruhaini Matdarin and published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in 2018.
The story follows the Bangsawan Seri Melati theatre troupe which is invited by a wealthy tycoon’s son to perform in the Sabah capital of Jesselton (now called Kota Kinabalu).
Their arrival was unfortunately timed as the Japanese army invades and takes over the British-ruled Jesselton and its surrounding territories.
Besides Fan, another Malaysian writer YZ Chin also made it to the shortlist for a translation from Chinese of Storied Ruins, written by local author Teng Kuan Kiat.
Each shortlisted translator will receive a grant worth £500 (RM2,900) to create a 5,000-word sample translation of their proposed projects.
The winning translators will receive editorial support and a chance to work with English PEN, editors and experienced translators on their samples.
English Pen will announce the winners as well as publish and promote their samples to UK publishers this summer.
