Alex Runggeary | A Member of Satupena
HATIPENA.COM – There is a controversy issue that spreading around the Indonesian Literature Community nowadays. Some of them do not agree with their respective reasons indeed once they here the announcement of BRICS Literature Award Committee announce that Mr. Denny JA is the candidate from Indonesia for the award as proposed by Local Selection Commitee.
Once this is announced Mr. Maman one of the member of the selection committee agressively moving toward the stage while shout out loud, ” No, no….not agree..!!!!” And not only Maman that does not agree but I suspect many of the members and groups of comminity have the same opinion with respective reasons
But Mrs. Sastri Bakri as appointed BRICS Literature Award Representative in Indonesia feel sorry for the action perform by Mr. Maman at that time. Why not solve the matter in a more wise way ? But it happened and not good for Indonesia as host for the event. Any different opinion can be solved in good manner as Literture Community.
But why is Mr. Denny JA is a kind of controversy figur in the Indonesian Literature Community ? To be fair he is a actually a great writer in various field not only in literature but also spend his time in finding out why in certain countries in Scandinavia such as Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have less population live and bilieve in Religion but have high rate in Happiness. Which actually explained there is no direct link of cause – effect logic between Religion and Happiness in human life. Mr. Denny does many data research on this matter. And in some certain point bring it into the academic world to be set as part of the university program
He also wellknown in Indonesian or even Asean Lieteruture World for his pioneering in – Puisi Esai – a genre in Literature. This genre is pin-point on Poetry but also writing model on Essay. It has long poetic writing and chapters all along a given fact story in certain time and place indeed. And it has foot-notes to always remind readers of the human beings efected by a given event in history. Denny’s well known of his story on this genre in – Demi Cinta -. This must be a great story which repeatedly told. I read his writings as I am a member of Satupena an Indonesian Writes/Authors organization Chaired by him. To me he is a great writer to be refered to or for me learn from him, the great writer.
But why is he become always a controvercy once his name came out of a certeain events announcing that he is the proposed candidate for a reward in literature ? This happened twice. Once in 2022 when a group of writers a specailly – Puisi Esay Group Writers – anounce that Denny become a nominee candidate for Nobel Prize Award. This issue go wild into some extend as some of the community have different opinions. But for sure the Nobel Prize Committee promptly deny that they never nominate anyone in the name of Denny JA [as conform by Kompàs]
And so is the anouncement of BRICS Literature Award Committee resulted in different opinions. One has a freedom to has different opinion to this issue as long as to be clarified.
I always feel that one of the reason why people reject Denny JA is becauss he claims he is the one in one or the other who pionereed the genre – Puisi Esai – As people know Alexander Pope (1688 -1744) from Great Britain is the one pionereed the genre. So who actually the pioneer of the genre for sure.
I think once Mr. Denny JA acknowledge Alexander Pope as the pioneer of the genre, he overtake one and the most obstacle of his road that he is paving. Rather than trying to burry Alexander Pope for the second time.
As Uni Sastri Bakri puts it last night on the zoom meeteing, ” It is like fried chicken. It known a long time ago. But only colonel Sanders put a trade mark on it and known as CFC – Centucky Fried Chicken” . Shall Mr. Denny JA goes on with this approach? It is totally upto him. Which means he let the blockage standing there on the road he is paving whuch repeatedly create controvercy that hiding him back ? Or he as gentleman acknoledge Alexander Pope as the one put in first time – Puisi Esai – As a genre in world literature ? (*)
Yogyakarta, 31 October 2025
Note: As Uni Sastri puts it: “The wealth of Denny JA is far beyond the value of the BRICS Award” Meaning the acknowledgement of the group has greater meaning for him. (*)
