Agong conveys condolences to family of laureate Malim Ghozali

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has conveyed his condolences to the family of Perak laureate Dr Mohamed Ghazali Abdul Rashid (pic), better known as Malim Ghozali PK, who died of cancer at the age of 70 on Thursday (June 18).

While expressing his sympathy for their loss, Sultan Abdullah also hoped the family would stay strong in facing the days ahead.

"Mohamed Ghazali’s deeds and contributions for the Malay literary world are greatly appreciated and his passing is indeed a huge loss to the country, ” he posted on Istana Negara’s official Instagram page Friday (June 19).

Mohamed Ghazali was the recipient of the South-East Asian Writers Award (SEA Write Award) for 2013 and was named Perak laureate in 2014.

His book Tree of Sorrow was listed among 160 best novels in the world by the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

Some 22 of his books have also been translated into various languages including English and Chinese.

He also won the South Asian Literature Council (Mastera) Literature Prize in the Short Story Book Collection category, recited poems at an international meet in Prague, the Czech Republic, and given literary lectures in Hannibal, United States and Paris, France. – Bernama