Section 92: Teratak Zaaba Museum

Teratak Zaaba Museum

Tan Sri Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad (16 September 1895 – 23 October 1973) or better known by the moniker Za'aba (alternatively spelled Za'ba) was a Malaysian writer and linguist. He modernised the Malay language with the publication of a series of grammar books entitled Pelita Bahasa in 1936 at the Sultan Idris Training College. The book contained guidelines in modernising the structure of classical Malay language, transforming it into the Malay language that is in use today. The most important change was in syntax, from the classical passive form to the modern active form.

He also devised the Za'aba Spelling system for Malay, which was adopted as the official orthography of Malay in Malaya and continued to be used by its successor states Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei until 1972, when it was replaced by New Rumi Spelling.

Biography Teratak Za'aba, a museum dedicated to his life in Kampung Bukit Kerdas Zainal Abidin was born on 16 September 1895 in Kampung Bukit Kerdas, Batu Kikir, Jempol in the state of Negeri Sembilan; the eldest of three children. His mother, Intan Awaluddin (1877-1907) was of Minangkabau descent, while his father Ahmad Ibrahim (1862-1927) was a Buginese from a well-off family in the Riau Islands - the latter being the only literate person in the village. Zainal Abidin, however, learned to read and write by himself from the age of five, practicing his writing on young banana leaves with a twig as a stylus. This caught the attention of his father, who decided to buy him a writing slate and some chalk. This further motivated Zainal's affinity for writing and helped to fine tune his writing skills later on.

Za'aba initially received his early education at a Malay school in Batu Kikir at the age of 12. His academic excellence allowed him to advance by two grades to Year 3. His father transferred him to a nearby school in Linggi in 1909, in the hopes that his son would become an ulama and learn the fields of Arabic language and Islamic jurisprudence, among other things.[2] He then continued his studies at St. Paul's Institution, Seremban, becoming the first Malay to take and pass the Senior Cambridge test in 1915.

Za'aba started his career as a teacher at: 1916: English College Johore Bahru 1918: Malay College Kuala Kangsar 1923: Education Department, Kuala Lumpur 1924: Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim 1939: Information Department, Singapore until 1942 1942: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London until 1951 1954: University of Malaya, Singapore until 1959.

Za'aba loved reading and had a highly commendable talent in writing, with most of his writings published in local newspapers and magazines. He published a series of monographs in regard to the Malay language, including Pelita Bahasa (English: The Light of the Language) and Ilmu Mengarang Melayu (English: Malay Writing Skills). His other writings include a compilation of translated Shakespeare works, Cerita-Cerita Shakespeare, that was published by Percetakan Gudang Chap in Singapore.

Za'aba wrote a lot of essays that were social criticisms against the ills affecting contemporary Malay society and against British colonial rule at the time. His hidden hand had a role in the formation of the United Malays National Organisation, a political party that had played an influential role in Malaysian politics and was one of the ruling parties in the country until the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, when UMNO lost to the opposition, Pakatan Harapan, led by former 4th Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

References 1. Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad (Za'ba). arkib.gov.my 2. "Biodata Tokoh - Pendeta Za'ba". National University of Malaysia. Retrieved 23 December 2016. 3. Norhalim Hj. Ibrahim; Aiani Sudeen (2008). Za'ba,1895-1973 : perjuangannya belum selesai (in Malay) (Cet. 1. ed.). Seremban: Lembaga Muzium Negeri Sembilan (the Negeri Sembilan Muzium Board). ISBN 4. Syed Naquib al-Attas. Za'aba dalam kenangan // "Panji Masyarakat", Sept/Okt 1981 5. "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1962" (PDF).

Teratak, which is now 100 years old, was built on a 0.4 hectare plot of land in Kampung Bukit Kerdas, Batu Kikir Timur, Jempol, which is the place where the figure was born and raised.

Teratak Zaaba is a museum dedicated to the life of the learned Malay writer, Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad, better known by the abbreviation Za’aba (sometimes spelt Za’ba). He is credited with modernising the Malay language and pioneering grammatical rules through the publication of a series of grammar books.

The museum is located at his birthplace in Bukit Kerdas near Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan. It is housed in a beautifully preserved wooden building of traditional Negeri Sembilan architectural style. The word ‘teratak’ can be translated as hovel, but this fine building can hardly be described as a hovel.

Inside, the museum contains many of his personal possessions such as a Quran, clothing, typewriter, radio, gramophone player, fan, furniture items and documents pertaining to his scholarly career. The grounds of the house include a basic herb garden and some agricultural implements.

The 100-year-old Teratak stands on a 0.4-hectare plot in Kampung Bukit Kerdas, Batu Kikir Timur, Jempol, where Za'aba was born and raised.