Fatimah Busu


Fatimah Busu is an award-winning Malaysian novelist, short-story writer, and academic. She is one of the leading contemporary authors of fiction in the Malay language, actively publishing since the 1970s. She is also the foremost Malay-language literary critic.

Early life and career

Fatimah was born in Kota Bharu in the north-eastern state of Kelantan, Malaysia. She attended her local Malay school in Kelantan before enrolling in the Malay Teacher's in Melaka. Fatimah worked as a teacher for almost ten years, until 1972, before then attending Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang. Since her graduation she has been a member of staff at the university's Faculty of Humanities.
Her literary career began with her short story Kerana Adik, published in the Singaporean magazine Mutiara in 1959. Her second short story, Hari Pesta, was published in Gelanggang Filem in 1960.
Fatimah Busu's first novel, Ombak Bukan Biru was published in 1977.

Short stories

Three of her works namely Nasinya Tumpah, Bunga-Bunga Pulau and Seribu Kali Sejuta Kali have been adapted for television, all aired on TV1.

Awards and honours