Suratman Markasan is one of Singapore’s Malay-language literary pioneers. An educator, community leader, socio-political commentator, poet, and short story and novel writer, Suratman wrote about the Malay experience in Singapore, addressing issues from filial piety to displacement in his award-winning works. A past chairman of the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union and head of ASAS ’50, he received the S.E.A. Write Award in 1989 and the Tun Sri Lanang Literary Award from the Malay Language Council in 1999. In 2010, Suratman received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to literature in Singapore.

Born in Singapore on 29 Dec 1930, Suratman Markasan grew up attending Malay schools in the ’40s, and worked as a trainee teacher in Sekolah Melayu Pasir Panjang once he completed his secondary school education.

He then attended the Sultan Idris Training School in Perak, Malaysia, graduating with a teaching certificate. In 1950, he returned to Singapore to teach at the Sekolah Melayu Teluk Blangah and also joined both the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union and the Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 as a member. This began his long and illustrious affiliation with teaching and Malay-language literature.

In 1971, Suratman graduated from the Nanyang University with a Bachelors in Literature. By then, he had already published two novels and edited two anthologies of Malay-language literature. Although he had always been well-acquainted with the arts before he started publishing his work, writing would become a religious calling for Suratman after the death of his wife in the ’80s. He found meaning in the common issues of the Malay community and religion, and his honest and elegant writings focused on the challenges faced by the Malay community, reflecting critically on themes of race, identity, multiculturalism and nationhood.

From magazine articles to anthologies of poetry, and short stories to essays, his prolific body of work not only resonates with the Singapore Malay community, but overseas as well. Suratman brought his poetry to international poetry recitals in countries such as Osaka, London, Paris and Germany. He also held the honour of being the first Singapore writer to write for the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (The Malaysian Language and Literacy Agency), compiling and publishing Tiga Warna Bertemu, a collection of poems by 41 Singapore poets in an attempt to record the development of Singapore Malay-language poetry from the ’40s and beyond.

Suratman’s desire to help the development of Singapore Malay literature and language led to his being the editor of several publications, including Majalah Sasaterawan, Warita Suara, Ikhwan Darussalam and Khalifah Muda.

Away from his writing table, Suratman was also very active in several literary, language and cultural associations, providing his expertise as deputy president of Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 and Majlis Pusat, chairman of the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union and information and publishing department of Yayasan MENDAKI, and docent with the Malay language and literature department in the Ministry of Education.

For his contributions, Suratman had been recognised by peers and awards alike. He received the S.E.A. Write Award in 1989, the Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Award in 1997, and the Tun Sri Lanang Literary Award and the Nusantara Literary Award in 1999. In 2010, Suratman received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to literature in Singapore.

Suratman published his novel Dunia Bukan Kita Punya in 2011. He passed away in February 2024, but his work and legacy continue to inspire future generations.