“Salina, I speak in all sincerity, from the depths of my heart, I speak in complete truth and you know that to me you are like my own little sister. So please consider my words. You must change the way you live. Resolve not to go on living like this.”

Salina chronicles the colourful life of a small community in post-World War II Singapore, focusing on the Malays in Kampung Kambing. The author aptly depicts the poverty, moral ruin and the struggle for survival amidst destruction after the War.

The brief spell of Japanese rule in Singapore and the suffering of the community as a result of war left a strong impression on Abdul Samad Said who was, at the time, still a child. He recalls details of that experience to illustrate the situation of Malays and Indonesians who drifted back and forth, or workes as labourers in Singapore. This is not entirely an unfamiliar issue in Malay literature, but Abdul Samad Said has displayed his art by recapturing this period artistically through the dialogue and actions of his characters-they are real people, not puppets, having defined black and white traits. Abdul Samad Said demonstrates his artistic abilities, through close observation, by delving deeply into his characters’ moral and cultural behaviour.