Translating works from Mandarin to Malay

Translation is not an easy job. I still remembered how I translated short stories from Mandarin to Malay. I did it together with another colleague, Chong Choong Yong when I was teaching in Jerantut, Pahang. We would spend hours in the evening thinking of the right words and phrases to bring across what was in the Mandarin texts into Malay.

Firstly, we must understand language structures between the two languages. Secondly, we have to think of the cultures of both races, that is the Chinese and the Malays. Through tedious and hard work we were able to produce six pieces of translated works. All of these were published in Nanyang Siang Pau and we shared the honorarium equally. I did my own translation alone too. All together ten pieces of translated works were compiled into a book and displayed as an exhibit during Methodist Boys' School's centenary celebrations.