KUCHING: Sarawak-born poet, Zainal Abidin Suhaili, known by his pen name Abizai, has once again made his mark on the national literary stage by emerging as one of the winners of the prestigious Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia (HSPM) 2021/2022 recently.
His winning poem Hikayat Esok, published in Suara Sarawak in 2021 and believed to be the first HSPM-winning work featured in the newspaper, marks a milestone for Sarawak’s literary presence at the national level with its symbolic and reflective commentary on leadership, accountability and the power of words.
“This victory is not just for me, but for all of Sarawak. It is a reminder that our words, especially from those in power, must be followed by sincere action
“Poetry must speak with depth, reflection, and refined emotion, not merely as expression but as a meaningful offering to society,” he said.
Born in Kuching on December 19, 1966, Abizai received his early education at SMK Dato Permaisuri in Miri.
He obtained a Diploma in Sports Management from the Malaysian Association for Physical Education, Sports Science and Fitness, and later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Malay Literature from Universiti Sains Malaysia.
He began writing in the early 1980s and has since produced a prolific body of work spanning poetry, short stories and literary essays.
His writings have been featured in numerous local and national publications, including Berita Minggu, Mingguan Malaysia, Dewan Sastera, Pelita Bahasa, Tamadun Islam, The Borneo Post, Malay Literature and many others.
Among his published poetry collections are Seekor Kelawar Di Kamar Pengantin, Mengenal Yang Asal, Membentuk Elok Di Teluk Esok, Sinar Benar, Kitab Rahsia, Pemburu Kata Merdu, Berani Bermimpi, Cinta Si Pengukir Kata, Memandang Cangkerang, Gelita Tak Berdaya Melenyapkan Cinta, and Lelaki Sunyi di Alam Sembunyi.
His collection of essays and criticism, Alam Hakiki dalam Puisi Penyair Sarawak, was published in 2022.
Some of his poems have been translated into English, Thai and Tamil.
Abizai currently serves as president of Persatuan Penulis Utara Sarawak (PUTERA), a role he has held since 2003, and has been a committee member of the National Writers Association of Malaysia (GAPENA) since 2018.
His career achievements include a long list of literary awards such as the Hadiah Sastera Penulis Sarawak, the Hadiah Sastera Kebangsaan Negeri Sarawak in 1997, multiple Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia awards for various years, and the Southeast Asian Writers Award (SEA Write Award) from the Thai government in 2017.
He was named Sasterawan Negeri Sarawak in 2020, the state’s highest honour for a writer.
In 2002, he represented Malaysia at the MASTERA Poetry Programme in Bogor, Indonesia.
His poem ‘Kembali Lidah Anakku Berbelang-belang’ was selected for inclusion in the national Literature subject syllabus for Form 4 and 5 students beginning in 2015.
Besides writing, Abizai also composes and performs musical renditions of his poetry.
He worked in banking for 25 years and is now the Head of Finance at a private company in Miri.
Looking back on his recent award, Abizai expressed hope that the Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia will continue to receive support and be held regularly, while also calling for a revision of the prize amount, which has remained unchanged for nearly two decades despite rising costs and inflation.
“The award was first introduced in 1971 and used to be presented annually. Now it is held every two years, but the prize value has not increased.
“Given the importance of intellectual and creative work, I believe it’s time for a change,” he said.
On the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative writing, Abizai shared his experience experimenting with AI-generated poems, noting that while AI may be useful for articles and references, its lack of emotional depth makes its poetry feel superficial.
“There’s no soul in AI poems. A real poem comes from lived experience and deep reflection, something a machine cannot produce,” he said.
He is currently writing a book on the art of poetry and hopes to share his knowledge with aspiring writers.
His message to the younger generation is one of perseverance and patience.
“Don’t be hasty or discouraged if success doesn’t come immediately. Writing is a lifelong journey. Even after 40 years, I am still learning,” he said.
Abizai continues to inspire new writers by showing that meaningful poetry comes from deep thought and real experience.
