Orang Macam Kita - Softcover

Azwan Ismail; Diana Dirani

3.33

63 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9834484569 ISBN 13: 9789834484569

Publisher: Matahari Books, 2010

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The first Malay-language anthology of queer writing features 25 short stories and essays.

They range from light-hearted love stories to more dramatic ones dealing with the discovery of sexual difference, interspersed with media analyses and flights into the outright surreal.

Full line-up:

Pengenalan - Azwan Ismail & Diana Dirani
Tiga Perbualan dan Satu Siri Pesanan Ringkas - Nur Fadhlin Binti Mohd Yusof
Anak Ikan - Ajami Hashim & Fadli al-Akiti
Sembang Ratu - Nizam Zakaria
Jika Itu Takdirnya - Khalid Idris
Pangkon - Dalih Sembiring
Hanya Jauhari Menyelindung Manikam: Memburu Ikon Gay dalam Filem Malaysia - Fadli al-Akiti
Avatar Tekne Seksual - Clarissa Lee
Rabak - Mohd Zaain Bin Md Zin
Sulalatus Anilingus - Ridhwan Saidi
Lurus Atau Bengkok - Dina Zaman
Pencuri Hati - Nizam Zakaria
Gay.a Ke Aku? - Zulkifli Bin Mohamad
Duyung Karuna - Chuah Guat Eng
Indra Dan Fadil - Paul Agusta
Sejarah Ringkas Media Cetak Tentang Orang Macam Kita - Hafidz Baharom
Tiada Sesalan - Azwan Ismail
Wanita Dua Wajah - Bissme S.
Honey - Bernice Chauly
Sepetang Di Kafe Oedipus - Mohd Ikhwan
Syi - Mohd Syahar Azizan
Vagabundando, Vagabundando - Fernando Rosa Ribeiro
Yang Sebenarnya - Adibah Yahya
Sembang Ratu II - Nizam Zakaria
Sekilas Ikan Di Air, Siapa Tahu Jantan Betina: Siapa Sebenarnya Panji Semirang Asmarantaka? - Farish A. Noor
Asmara Dua Vampir - Diana Dirani

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Review:

I seldom find anthologies entertaining; you set out with an expectation that all the tales are going to be of great quality and give the same amount of entertainment or knowledge, at least and invariably, you get disappointed. But Matahari Books' newest anthology entitled Orang Macam Kita is not too big a disappointment. At least, in comparison to Body 2 Body, that other anthology of gay writing, this particular book edited by Azwan Ismail and Diana Dirani goes to show that Malaysia does in fact have good writers! In fact, whoever did the translating for some of these pieces should get a medal for their efforts. Unlike Body to Body, where only one story was worth reading (Brian Gomez s What do gay people eat?), Orang Macam Kita offers a combination of tales that actually make you think twice about the people around you. Nur Fadhlin's Tiga Perbualan Dan Satu Siri Pesanan Ringkas makes for a good introduction to the anthology. The all too common grounds for denying people a place to hang out with the LGBT community is addressed in the third dialogue with a construct of how a jealous husband asks what if my wife gets infected or captivated with your sexuality. Nizam Zakaria's two pieces of Sembang Ratu proves more of an annoyance than entertainment, and may perhaps drive people to just skip the tales altogether out of sheer sickness. While beautifully written, the fact still remains that the 'queen' he portrays is perhaps the reason why gay people everywhere are still shunned. One of the tales that truly sticks out of the book comes from none other than the editor himself, Azwan Ismail's Tiada Sesalan. It tells of the actions of a closeted Malay boy who develops into manhood and how he keeps his sexuality a secret from his family. This particular tale hits close to home because it is perhaps the very graphic description of how the gay community in Malaysia lives. Wanita Dua Wajah and Syi, written respectively by Bissme S. and Mohd Syahar Azizan, talk about cunning. However, in Bissme's case, the cunning translates into an obsession that is definitely unhealthy. The case depicted in Syi shows just how crafty people get in order to be together, including the battery of an innocent friend, a divorce and a revelation that is equipped with some semblance of guilt. While the book is filled with fiction, the section of factual essays is no less enjoyable. For those who missed Farish Noor's lecture during the first Seksualiti Merdeka festival, the lecture is provided ad verbatim in his piece, Sekilas Ikan Di Air, Siapa Tahu Jantan Betina: Siapa Sebenarnya Panji Semirang Asmarantika? And yes, the lecture is as long as the title. Dina Zaman's piece, Lurus atau Bengkok, is a translation of a piece found in her groundbreaking book I Am Muslim. Full disclosure: I too have an article in this collection, talking about the portrayal of the LGBT community in the mass media including an incident during a Umno General Assembly where a guy basically stood up and stated that loitering leads to homosexuality. Another non-fiction piece, entitled Hanya Jauhari Menyelindung Manikam, speaks of gay characters in Malaysian movies. All in all, the book itself, considering its quality and worth, is fairly underpriced at RM20. However, my guess is that the target audience itself is looking to perhaps save up enough cash to go clubbing on Fridays and Saturdays, than actually spend more than that on a book. Orang Macam Kita, being a queer anthology, presents the LGBT community with a local flavour, something that was preciously lacking in the various few stories about the community. --Hafidz Baharom, The Malaysian Insider

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