AdminVeteran theatre practitioner Faridah Merican has added another milestone to her decades-long contribution to Malaysia’s performing arts with the release of her memoir, Me, Mamak, a candid account of her life, career and cultural heritage.
Launched on June 22 at a private gathering attended by family, friends and colleagues, the memoir traces Faridah’s journey from her childhood in Kampung Baru, Ayer Itam, Penang, to becoming one of the country’s most recognisable figures in theatre. Rather than following the structure of a traditional autobiography, the book presents a collection of personal memories and experiences that shaped both her life and Malaysia’s performing arts landscape.
Memoir offers personal reflections beyond a conventional autobiography
Faridah, widely recognised as the First Lady of Malaysian Theatre, said the memoir was inspired by a desire to preserve her stories and memories for future generations.
“I am by no means a writer but I wanted to tell my stories – I have many fond memories of my childhood days growing up in Kampung Baru, Ayer Itam, the fun times I had while attending the St. George’s Girls School, the best school in the world (then) in my opinion, before heading off to the Kota Bahru Teachers’ Training College. I wanted to share about my time as a teacher before diving into radio, advertising, television and theatre as well as all the people that I crossed paths with, many of whom I looked up to and were an important part of my life,” she said.
She added that the writing process evolved naturally, with her husband, Joe Hasham, documenting her recollections over months before the manuscript was edited by U-En Ng and prepared for publication with the assistance of filmmaker Amir Muhammad.
The memoir was first conceived years earlier but only took shape during the COVID-19 pandemic, when theatre productions came to a halt. The period provided Faridah with the opportunity to reflect on her life and record the stories she had long intended to share.
Book highlights Malaysia’s artistic legacy and shared history
While Me, Mamak recounts Faridah’s personal experiences, it also offers a broader perspective on Malaysia’s social and cultural development through the people and communities she encountered throughout her life.
Manuscript editor U-En Ng described the memoir as an authentic reflection of Faridah’s personality.
“It’s a very candid and often painfully honest memoir that is entirely true to the person Faridah Merican is. You can hear her voice very clearly in the words of these pages, as if she were speaking to you directly rather than writing a conventional autobiography intended to be read. In this and many other ways, ‘Me, Mamak’ is exactly as Faridah is: pure, raucous, unfiltered, and so very full of an energy that delights in all that the world has to offer.”
The launch featured performances by dancer Tan Chun Wai, tenor Tan Chee Shen and the Wicked Music Quartet, alongside readings from the memoir by Ng, Marion D’Cruz, Joe Hasham and Faridah herself.
A pioneer of Malaysia’s performing arts since the 1960s, Faridah has built a career spanning education, advertising, radio, television and theatre. Together with Joe Hasham, she founded both The Actors Studio (Malaysia) and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), organisations that have played significant roles in developing the country’s theatre industry.
Her latest work also reflects on the lives of Malaysians who helped shape the nation through resilience, creativity and dedication, while expressing hope for future generations and continued support for the local arts community.
Me, Mamak is priced at RM35 and is available exclusively through CloudJoi.
Jimmy Tan
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