ZH 06 · Living Literary Archive
Timeline & Honours
A concise chronology of education, publication, public service, awards, translations and recent books.
1949
Born in Bakar Bata, Alor Setar, Kedah.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
1967
First poems for adult literary pages appear in Warta Mingguan and Utusan Zaman.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
1974
Graduates from Universiti Sains Malaysia and publishes Sesayup Jalan.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
1984
Keberangkatan wins the main prize in Sayembara Puisi Putra II.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
1991
Receives Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN); Hatimu Aisyah is published.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
1996
Leaves government service to concentrate on writing and scholarship.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2000
Receives Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN).
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2001
Completes a Master of Arts at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2004
Receives the S.E.A. Write Award in Bangkok.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2008
Completes a PhD at the Academy of Malay Studies, Universiti Malaya.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2013
Receives the Sunthorn Phu Poets Award.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2014
Receives the Darjah Setia Diraja Kedah, carrying the title Dato’.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2015
Named Malaysia’s 13th National Laureate—the first woman to receive the honour.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2016
Receives the National Laureate award at the formal ceremony on 26 April.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2021
Publishes Menunggu Pesawat, a collection of 104 poems.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2022
Publishes Pak Kaduk Pulang ke Kampung and Pemikiran dan Falsafah dalam Puisi Melayu Tradisi.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2024
Publishes Perempuan Pelabuhan and co-authors Syair Permata Fikir.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2025
A new Kuali Hitam edition of Murka Lautan is issued.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.
2026
Her writing continues to attract new research, including a comparative education study of Hatimu Aisyah.
Milestone in the life, work or reception of Zurinah Hassan.