Salleh Ben Joned is a witty, fearless and charismatic poet and writer that some have called the ‘bad boy of Malaysian literature’. He is a satirist, critic and libertarian, known for challenging taboos about race, religion, sexuality and a whole lot more. In this two-part documentary series, his eldest daughter Anna takes us on a wild ride through the life and times of her infuriating yet utterly loveable father. In Part 1 we hear about the influential decade the young Salleh spent in Australia where, among other things, he was a Colombo Plan scholar mentored by the controversial poet James McAuley at the University of Tasmania.
Salleh Ben Joned: A Most Unlikely Malay - Part 2
This documentary is dedicated to Halimaton Attan, the late wife of Salleh Ben Joned and mother to Adam and Hawa Salleh.
For more information
Guests (in order of appearance)
Jamal Minhas
Annette Stewart
Che Wah Binti Md. Said (Zahara)
Ariel Salleh
Ruth Mooney
Ken Stewart
Mike Frost
Other acknowledgments
Reading by Qahar Aqilah of excerpts of poems, essays and columns from the following two of Salleh’s books:
Sajak Sajak Saleh: Poems Sacred and Profane
As I Please: Selected Writings 1975-1994
Thank you also to Laurel Cohn, Natasha Mitchell and Sheila Rahman.
Excerpts of music from the following artists were played in this documentary:
Country Joe and the Fish
Indian Ensemble
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
Leonard Cohen
Mary Hopkin
Orkes Saiful Bahri
The Beatles