Zainal Abidin Ahmad
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| Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad | |
|---|---|
 Za'aba |
|
| Alternate name(s): | Za'aba |
| Date of birth: | September 16, 1895 |
| Place of birth: | Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia |
| Date of death: | October 23, 1973 (aged 78) |
| Movement: | Malayan Academic Movement |
| Major organizations: | Writing and Malay Language Congress Malaya |
| Religion: | Islam |
Zainal Abidin Ahmad (16 September 1895 - 23 October 1973), also known ad Za'aba was a Malaysian writer in the 1940s. From his achievements in literature, he was a kampung boy who succeeded to place himself among other famous individuals in Malaysian history.
[edit] Biography
Born in Bukit Kampung Kerdas, Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, Zaaba received his early education at a Malay school in Linggi. He then continued his study at St. Paul's Institution, Seremban and was the first Malay to take and pass Senior Cambridge test in 1915.
Zaaba started his career by becoming a teacher at a school in Johor Bahru in 1916, and then changed to:
- 1918: Malay College Kuala Kangsar
- 1923: Education Department, Kuala Lumpur
- 1924: Sultan Idris Teacher's College, Tanjung Malim
- 1939: Information Department, Singapore until 1942
- 1942: East and Africa studies centre, University of London until 1951
- 1954: Universiti Malaya, Singapore until 1959.
Zaaba loved reading and had excellent talent to write. Most of his writings were published in local newspapers and magazines. He published a series of monograph in Malay Language, including Bahasa Pelita (Language of light) and Ilmu Mengarang (Writing Skills). His other writings include Cerita-cerita Shakespeare (Shakepeare stories in Malay) that was published by Percetakan Gudang Chap, Singapore.
