Kuala lumpur: The late literary figure Dr Abdul Rahman Napiah, better known by his pen name Mana Sikana, was posthumously bestowed as Malaysia's 16th National Laureate today. The award is the government's highest recognition for writers who have made sustained and outstanding contributions to Malaysian literature.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofia, Queen of Malaysia, presented the award to Mana Sikana's widow, Salmah Ali, at the 16th National Literary Award ceremony here. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, in her speech, said Mana Sikana's work fostered awareness, empathy, cultural dialogue, and human values while offering deeper insights into Malaysia's diverse society.

Fadhlina said, "His prolific body of work inspired pride in Malaysian literary achievements. His influence on Malaysian writers was immense. Beyond producing creative works, he shaped literary thought through theory, criticism, teaching, and academic discourse." She chaired the award selection panel and noted that Mana Sikana produced more than 100 works during his career, including the novels "Tanah di Hujung Bendang," "Pengadilan," "Di Hujung Taming Sari," and "Pasir-Pasir di Pasir Salak."

The minister highlighted that his influence was particularly evident in three areas: expanding creative writing techniques, encouraging critical thought in literary work, and nurturing generations of writers, researchers, and critics through universities, seminars, and academic publications.

Born in Bagan Serai, Perak, on October 9, 1946, Mana Sikana began his career as a teacher before entering academia. He served at several universities, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). The UKM doctorate holder received numerous honors during his career, including the Malaysian Literary Prize, Malaysian Perdana Literary Prize, the Perak Laureate Award, and the Darul Ridzuan Lifetime Literary Achievement Award.

As the 16th National Laureate, he received a national letter of honor, a cash prize of RM60,000, and a publishing allocation covering up to 50,000 books or RM500,000. The government will purchase and distribute the books to schools, libraries, departments, and agencies nationwide.

Mana Sikana died at the age of 80 in May 2025 following heart complications.