Malaysian novelist, satirist, and short story writer, the most important contemporary prose writer in the Malay language. Shahnon Ahmad has gained acclaim with his innovative, rich use of old and new languages that have combined Malay languages , such as Kedah, Prak, Johore, Negri Sebilan, Minangkabau, with Sanskrit, Javanese, and Arabic. He has won in 1984 the highest literary award in the country as the National Laureate. He also holds the honorary title of Dato, roughly the equivalent of a British knighthood. Shahnon's novels often dealt with controversial issues of the day.

''If politics is foul and can foul other things, then I as a writer will present the foulness and elements that are fouling other things, in my own way.'' (from the foreword of Shit, 1999)

Datuk Shahnon Ahmad was born is Sik, in a village in the state of Kedah. He attended secondary school in Alor Setar from 1947 to 1953 and then worked as a schoolteacher. In 1955-56 he served in the army as an officer. Shahnon went in 1968 to Australia for university study and received his B.A. in 1971. Four years later he gained an M.A. from the University of Science in Penang, where he has taught literature and served as the dean of the School of Humanities. He also headed the Islamic Center of Malaysian Science University for 11 years until 1996. Shahnon resigned in 1999 from his teaching position at the University of Science Malaysia.

By the mid-1960s, Shahnon was considered with Samad Said among the leading short-story writers - in general the short story played a more important role than the novel. From 1965-1978 Shahnon Ahmad wrote several novels which dealt with the social changes in his country. Rentong (1965) was about an unfortunate rural population, Ranjau sepanjang jalan (1966, No Harvest but a Thorn) depicted the hardships of a farming family, the struggle of the peasants and their belief in the supernatural. The symbolic Srengegne (1973) won an important literary Prize in Malaysia. It had a strong religious theme, as Shahnon's later works. His series of Islamic novels, starting from Al-Syiqaq (1985), presented a complex examination of worldly and religious interests.

Shahnon Ahmad's most controversial novel is the 240-page long Shit (1999), a runaway success, which broke tabooed subjects in the spirit of Swift and Rabelais. Although the title is in English the book is written in Bahasa Malaysia. The surrealist tale is set inside someone's large intestine and has lumps of excrement as lead characters. It was no surprise that this kind of book from such an eminent writer as Shahnon Ahmad caused much debate. The angry authorities called Shit un-Islamic and the education minister arranged a meeting to discuss the cancelling of Shahnon's National Literary Award given him in 1982. As a prominent Malay cultural figure and creative writing lecturer he was accused of undermining the prestige of his own office.

The story of Shit, a long joke on too old leaders who refuse to step down from power, was read in Malaysia as an attack on the prime minister. The book was first printed in opposition-controlled eastern Kelantan state. Shahnon himself is a member of the opposition party PAS and won in Sik in the parliamentary election, defeating the former religions affairs minister. "The book is not aimed at anybody and it is a creative expression," Shahnon has said. ''I'm not a politician. Many people say it [the book] is dirty, but I didn't create the stinking situation. I just created the novel from reality."

In Shahnon's short story 'Woman' from The Third Notch, and Other Stories (1980) individual desires clash with cultural conventions. Siti, a young girl, rebels against the marriage arrangement her parents have secured for her. At the same time she fears that the voice of the full rights, shouting "I don't want to" in her heart, is imprisoned inside a weak body. "A virgin is a piece of fertile land, waiting to be dominated. That domination is freedom, but not conquest by Haji Rahmat. It had to be someone else. She didn't know who, but she hoped and believed that he existed. Every story has a hero. Every child has its father. Every plot of land has its rightful owner. One day, the rightful owner would come. She would wait for that sacred day." The end of the story is open. Shahnon leaves Siki without a promise of future brightness.

For further reading: Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century, vol. 4ed. by Steven R. Serafin (1999); Antara kampung dan kota: rural bias in the novels of Shahnon Ahmad by Ungku Maimunah Mohd. Tahir (1998); Shahnon Ahmad and Tok Guru: Essays on Malay Literature by H.S. Aveling (1997); Approaching Islam and Malay society in the work of Shahnon Ahmad by Harry Aveling (1996); Novels of the troubled years: a study of Shahnon Ahmad's novels, 1965-1978 by Mohd. Yusof Hasan (1985); 'On The Third Notch, and Other Stories' by P. Nazareth, in World Literature Today, 56 (1982); 'Introduction to The Third Notch, And Other Stories' by L. Fernando (1981) - For further information: International Movement for a Just World - Asiaweek 99/0507/ - Shahnon Ahmad to be stripped of his National Literary Award?

Selected works:

• Anjing-anjing, 1964
• Debu merah, 1965
• Terdedah, 1965
• Rentong, 1965 - Rope of Ash
• Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, 1966 - No Harvest but a Thorn - film directed by Jamil Sulong, starring Sarimah, Ahmad Mahmud and Melissa Saila
• Protes, 1967
• Menteri, 1967
• Perdana, 1969
• Srengenge, 1973 - Srengenge
• Sampah, 1974
• Kemelut, 1977
• Selasai sudah, 1977
• Seluang menolak Baung, 1978
• Penglibatan dalam puisi, 1978
• Gubahan novel, 1979
• The Third Notch, and Other Stories, 1980 (transl. by Harry Aveling)
• Kesusasteraan dan etika Islam, 1981
• Al-syiqaq, 1985
• Tok Guru, 1988
• Ummi dan Abang Syeikhul, 1992
• Pongang sastera: gema karya kreatif dan kesannya terhadap khalayak, 1995
• Shit, 1999