Literary Activities of Malay Nationalists in Malaya under Japanese Rule,1942–45 *

This study is an attempt to decode nationalist messages in poems and short stories that were written by Malay authors during the Japanese occupation. To this aim, are introduced firstly, Malay journalists and publications under Japanese rule. Secondly, this work analyzes nationalist messages in some poems. Thirdly, it attempts to reveal nationalist messages in some short stories. Based upon the examinations, this study implies that the literary activities of Malay nationalists during the war might contribute to the development of Malay national awareness to a certain degree.