King's College London

Born in Penang, Malaysia, Tan Twan Eng’s works have won and been shortlisted for multiple literary prizes. The event shed light on the unusual and varied perspectives on Malaysia revealed in his novels, and the value of Malaysian Literature in English, particularly as a part of the world still underrepresented in curriculums.

Through conversation with Professor Kabir and a Q&A session with the audience, multiple themes emerged relating to Penang’s living history of multiculturalism and creativity, such as its built heritage and food culture, the ‘don’t care’ hard-headedness of its population, and its inhabitants’ love of collecting, beauty, and artisanship. These themes offer Tan Twan Eng the opportunity to play with and respond to Penang’s material and cultural history, as well as the Indian Ocean geography which shapes it.

Professor Kabir also teased out how Tan Twan Eng’s life in South Africa seeps into his Penang novels and the links between his Straits Chinese heritage and the close craftsmanship he brings to his writing.

The event was chaired by Dr Nadiah Ghani, who completed her PhD on Malaysian literature in English under Professor Kabir’s supervision.

Professor Kabir’s research, supported by the Global Cultures Institute and an Arts and Humanities Research Award, explores how Malaysian colonial histories and creolization processes shape literary and cultural production, situating the colonial histories of Melaka and Penang within a broader framework of Indian Ocean modernity. Her interest in Tan Twan Eng’s novels arises from this context but, like all his readers, she is also gripped by his storytelling.

The attendees, many from London’s Malaysian-heritage community, agreed that the event made them think in new ways about Malaysia even while providing new insight into multicultural societies including and beyond Malaysia.