Wu Ming-yi's "The Bicycle Thief" in Malay Opens New Avenues for Taiwan-Malaysia Literary Exchange

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (CNA) The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair is an annual reading event for the Malay community. Malaysian publishers have, for the first time, translated Taiwanese author Wu Ming-yi's "The Bicycle Thief" into Malay, opening a door to understanding Taiwanese literature and creating new opportunities for the predominantly Malay-reading market.

Abdullah Hussaini, project manager at Malaysian publisher IBDE, was a key proponent of the Malay edition of "The Bicycle Thief." He hopes this will allow more Malay readers to appreciate the diversity of Taiwanese literature and promote literary exchange between Taiwan and Malaysia.

"The Bicycle Thief" centers on the familiar bicycle, weaving together stories of reality and memory through the search for a missing father and bicycle, and the island's landscapes. The characters' experiences involve the war experiences and historical scars of different ethnic groups in Taiwan.

Although the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, held from May 29 to June 7, has concluded, "The Bicycle Thief," as a translated Taiwanese novel at the fair, attracted many young Malay readers. Wu Ming-yi's sharing session during the book fair also received a warm response.

Abdullah told CNA in an interview today that IBDE has previously translated many works from Arabic, French, German, and English into Malay. However, introducing a full-length Taiwanese novel to Malay readers is still a new endeavor for the local publishing industry.

He pointed out that he had heard of Taiwanese author Wu Ming-yi about 10 years ago. Three years ago, a friend from the Malaysian Chinese literary circle recommended him to attend Wu Ming-yi's lecture at the George Town Literary Festival in Penang. He began reading Wu's works, and was particularly impressed by "The Bicycle Thief."

Abdullah believes that the book's use of bicycles to connect personal memories, family stories, and historical scars resonates with the social experiences of Malaysia. Therefore, IBDE proactively contacted the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia to collaborate on the publication of the Malay edition of "The Bicycle Thief."

Abdullah admitted that many Malay readers are still unfamiliar with Taiwanese literature compared to works from Europe, America, or the Middle East. However, with Wu Ming-yi's visit to Malaysia for reader interaction, the Malay community is gradually recognizing that Taiwan has a mature and large-scale publishing market. Through residency programs, creative grants, and various award mechanisms, Taiwan offers abundant opportunities for literary exchange, showcasing its development in fields such as literature, historical research, and cultural creation.

He told CNA reporters, "Taiwan's relatively open and diverse social environment also contributes to the flourishing of literary creation."

Furthermore, Lee Hao Jie, the translator of "Journey to the West" who also worked on the Chinese-Malay translation, believes that the biggest challenge for Taiwanese works entering the Malay market is not language, but "cultural translation." Many Chinese works contain historical backgrounds, place name allusions, and cultural connotations. How to preserve the spirit of the original work while allowing Malay readers to understand and resonate with it remains a subject that translators must continuously explore.

He stated that translators are not just converting words but are bridges between different languages and cultures. He hopes that through translation, Malay readers can be exposed to more works from Taiwan, and Taiwanese readers can have the opportunity to learn about Malaysian literature, promoting understanding and exchange between different ethnic groups.

For the Malay-speaking readership, "The Bicycle Thief" serves as an important window into Taiwanese literature. As the work crosses linguistic barriers into the Malay reading market, it allows more readers to see different aspects of Taiwanese society, history, and culture through literature. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150620

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download CNA's "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.