Writer and poet Wong Phui Nam dies aged 87

Writer and poet Wong Phui Nam has passed away, just a week after his 87th birthday on Sept 20.

A former literary editor at the New Straits Times, he was educated at Victoria Institution and earned his economics degree from the University of Singapore.

Since his graduation, Wong (above) worked in banking and development financing.

His demise was confirmed by writer/publisher Amir Muhammad, who simply wrote “Wong Phui Nam (1935-2022). Innalillahi wainnailayhi raji’un”.

Malaysian writer and academic Edwin Malachi Vethamani said that the nation had lost a poet who has been contributing to Malaysian poetry in English since the 1950s. 

“Wong received accolades and international recognition for his fine poetry throughout his long, poetic life. He was also a critic who once had a newspaper column voicing his thoughts on the local literary scene.

“In Malaysia, his poetry was generally appreciated by academics and students of poetry while lesser poets who wrote in the national language we given national awards,” he told Malaysiakini.

Wong had in recent years been actively involved with young Malaysian poets. 

“He was a judge for a national poetry competition in 2021 and was one of the selectors of poems written by young Malaysians below 35 years. He took time to write advice to young Malaysian poets and he even met them and encouraged them to write poetry. He was deeply concerned for Malaysian poetry in English and wanted to see it develop with new young voices with fresh ideas,” added Edwin.

He said Wong’s demise signals the passing of one of the greatest Malaysian poets who wrote in English and who continued to be an important voice in Malaysian poetry in English. 

The tributes also came from across the causeway.

“Wong was a true original in Malaysian English poetry, and until the end, a humble man without airs, who still constantly sought to deepen his understanding of poetry. Above all, he was my friend and mentor,” said Singaporean poet Daryl Lim Wei Jie.

American-Malaysian poet Shirley Lim Geok-lin said Wong was a true gentleman.

In her tribute to Wong on his 86th birthday last year, she said: “At every meeting, I glimpsed, again and again, his attributes as the first gentleman of poetry in Malaysia-Singapore. His modesty, subdued conversing manners, self-deprecating laughter, unhurried movements, and polite attentiveness create a quiet yet clear assertion among the loud assertive alpha males that customarily characterise poets lionised in international events.”

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