Suratman Markasan is one of Singapore’s Malay-language literary pioneers and the author of six novels, five short story collections and four books of poetry in Malay. An educator, community leader, socio-political commentator, poet, and short story and novel writer, Suratman writes 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 SEA 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.