The Singapore Literature Prize (abbreviation: SLP) is a biennial award in Singapore to recognise outstanding published works by Singaporean authors in any of the four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. The competition is organised by the Singapore Book Council (SBC) with the support of the National Arts Council.
The award was briefly discontinued in 1999 and 2002 due to economic problems.Journal of Commonwealth Literature 2000, (p. 99)
1992 Fiction
Winner Suchen Christine Lim - Fistful of Colours
Commendation Tan Mei Ching - Beyond the Village Gate
1993
Poetry
Merit Desmond Sim - Places Where I've Been
Commendation Jeffery T.H. Lee - The Sea is Never Full Paul Tan - Curious Road
Drama
Merit Haresh Sharma - Still Building
Commendation Sim Teow Li - Curios
1994 Fiction
Merit Tan Mei Ching - Crossing Distance Stella Kon - Eston
Commendation David Leo - Wives, Lovers and Other Women Denyse Tessensohn - Feel Andrew Koh - Glass Cathedral
1995 Poetry
Winner Roger Vaughan Jenkins - From the Belly of the Carp
Merit Boey Kim Cheng - Days of No Name
Commendation Colin Cheong - Void Deck and Other Empty Places
1996 Fiction
Winner Colin Cheong - Tangerine
Commendation Dave Chua Hak Lien - Gone Case Pat Wong - Going Home & Other Stories
1997 Poetry
Merit Paul Tan - Driving into Rain
1998 Fiction
Merit Rosemary Lim - Soul Search & Other Stories (published as The Seed from the Tree) Colin Cheong - The Man in the Cupboard
Commendation Alfian bin Sa'at - Corridor and Other Stories Daren Shiau - Heartland
Awards 2000 (as The Dymocks Singapore Literature Prize) Rex Shelley, A River of Roses
Awards 2004
English Winner: Tan Hwee Hwee – Mammon Inc Felix Cheong – Broken by the Rain Suchen Christine Lim – A Bit of Earth Alfian bin Sa’at – A History of Amnesia Claire Tham – The Gunpowder Trail & Other Stories
Chinese Winner: Yeng Pway Ngon (英培安) – 骚动 Chia Hwee Pheng (希尼尔) – 轻信莫疑 Guan Ming (关明) – 其实·底下的城市
Malay Winner: Mohamed Latiff Mohamed – Bagiku Sepilah Sudah Abdul Ghani Hamid – Ombak Terbang Tinggi A Wahab HJ Hamzah – Tuhan Masih Sayang Isa Kamari – Kiswah Masuri SN – Suasana Senja Rohani Din – Anugerah Buat Syamsiah
Tamil Winner: Ma Elankannan (M Balakrishnan) – Thondil Meen S Uthuman Ghani – Agrinai Uyarthinai K. T. M. Iqbal – Kaakitha Vaasam Krishnasamy Iyer Kanagalatha – Thee Velli Murugathasan – Thaembavai Subraa (Palanisamy Subramanian) – Uyirril Kalantha Urrave
Awards 2006
English Co-winner: Cyril Wong – Unmarked Treasure Co-winner: Yong Shu Hoong – Frottage Aaron Shahril Yusoff Maniam – Morning at Memory’s Border
Chinese Winner: Chia Joo Ming (谢裕民) – 重构南洋图像 Chong Gou Nan Yang Yu Xiang (Reconstructing Nanyang) Denon Lim Denan (林得楠) – 梦见诗 Chia Hwee Pheng (希尼尔) – 希尼尔微型小说
Malay Winner: Mohamed Latiff Mohamed – Nostalgia Yang Hilang (The End Of Nostalgia) Anuar Othman – Kisah Di Bukit Cermin Suratman Markasan – Puisi Luka dan Puisi Duka Peter Augustine Goh – Warna sebuah Penghijrahan Johar Bin Buang – Cahaya di Negeri ini
Tamil Winner: Mohamed Iqbal – Vanavargal Mannil Irukkirarkal (Angels Are Here On Earth) K. Kanagalatha – Paampuk Kaattil oru Taazai Kavignareru Amallathasan – Pullanguzhal Murugathasan – Vadamalar
Awards 2008
English Winner: Ng Yi-Sheng – last boy Aaron Lee Soon Yong – Five Right Angles Wena Poon – Lions in Winter: Stories Elmo Jayawardena – Rainbows in Braille Suchen Christine Lim – The Lies that Build a Marriage
Chinese Co-winner: Chia Hwee Pheng (谢惠平) – 希尼尔小说选 (The Collection of Xi Ni Er Mini-Fiction) Co-winner: Yeng Pway Ngon (英培安) – 我与我自己的二三事 (Trivialities About Me and Myself) Chia Joo Ming (谢裕民) – 谢裕民小说选 Liang Wern Fook (梁文福) – 左手的快乐 Teoh Hee La aka Zhang Xi Na(张曦娜) – 张曦娜小说选 Pan Cheng Lui (潘正镭) – 天微明时我是诗人
Malay Winner: Mohamed Latiff Mohamed – Bila Rama-rama Patah Sayapnya Muhammad Salihin bin Sulaiman Jeem – Anugerah Bulan Buat Bonda Suratman Markasan – Langau Menyerang Masjid Dan Cerita-Ceritanya Peter Augustine Goh – Cetusan Kalbu Seorang Penyair Johar Buang – Perahu Melayu Di Lautan Khulzum Manaf Hamzah – Sekeras Waja, Selembut Sutera
Tamil Winner: K. Kanagalatha – Naan Kolai Seyum Penkal (The Women I Murder) Jayanthi Sankar – Pin Seat (Back Seat) J.M. Sali – Aayul Thandanai Palanisamy Subramanian – Ouyir Ourugum Sabtham
Awards 2010
English Winner: Simon Tay – City of Small Blessings Toh Hsien Min – Means To An End Wena Poon – The Proper Care Of Foxes
Chinese Co-Winner: Gabriel Wu (吴耀宗) – 半存在 (A Half-Existence) Co-Winner: Chia Joo Ming (谢裕民) – M40 Wang Wenxian (王文献) – 《爱城故事》 Wong Meng Voon (黄孟文) –《黄孟文微型小说自选集》 Ng Wai Choy (吴韦材) – 《爱的礼物》
Malay Winner: Johar Buang – Sampai di Singgahsana Cinta Abdul Manaf Abdul Kadir (Manaf Hamzah) – Dalam Kehangatan Dakapan Senja Azni Ismail (Jaka Budi) – Di Perhentian Ini… Hijrahkanlah Diri Noor Hasnah Adam – Kelarai Yazid Bin Hussein – Satu Macam Penyakit
Tamil Winner: Murugathasan – Sangamam Jayanthi Sankar – Migration Marimuthu Arumugam Elango (Pichinikkadu Elango) – Naanum Naanum Masilamani Anbalagan – Ayapulam
Awards 2012
English Winner: Eddie Tay – The Mental Life of Cities Leonard Ng – This Mortal World Dave Chua – The Beating & Other Stories Teng Qian Xi – They hear salt crystallising
Chinese Winner: Yeng Pway Ngon (英培安) – 画室 (Art Studio) Tan Chee Lay (陈志锐) – 《剑桥诗学》 Neo Choon Hong (梁钺) – 《你的名字》 Zou Lu (邹璐) – 《追随河流的方向》 Lee Seng Chan (怀鹰) – 《舞魂》
Malay Merit: Ahmad Ja’affar Bin Munasip – Jago Yang Terlupa Dilupakan Commendation: Peter Augustine Goh Mey Teck – Kerana Setitik Madu Commendation: Rohman Munasip – Secangkir Ceritera Commendation: Yazid Hussein – Dongeng Utopia : Kisah Cek Yah
Tamil Winner: Ramanathan Vairavan – Kavithai Kuzhanthaikal Masilamani Anbalagan – En Vaanam Naan Megam Yousuf Rowther Rajid Ahmed – Vizhikkullethaan Vellayum Karuppum Marimuthu Arumugam Elango – Antha Naan Illai Naan
Awards 2014 For the first time, the award offered 12 top prizes of up to $10,000 each for the best works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry in Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In previous years, fiction competed with poetry for one award in each language.
In July 2014, three judges of the English non-fiction category of the prize resigned in protest against the National Library Board's removal and pulping of controversial children's titles. Mr T. Sasitharan, a prominent arts educator; former journalist Romen Bose; and American author and Writer-in-Residence at Yale-NUS College, Robin Hemley were subsequently replaced. The Prize also received flak for perhaps spreading itself too thin, and for naming the non-fiction prizes after a sponsor, the publisher World Scientific.
A day after the winners were announced at an awards ceremony on 4 November 2014, poet-editor Grace Chia, whose poetry collection Cordelia was shortlisted but did not win in the English Poetry section, delivered a speech in absentia at the Singapore Writers Festival which accused the Prize of sexism. Chia wrote, "The fact that the prize has been given to two co-winners who are both male poets is deeply informing of choice, taste and affirmation. A prize so coveted that it has been apportioned to two male narratives of poetic discourse, instead of one outstanding poet - reeks of an engendered privilege that continues to plague this nation's literary community." Chia also posted her speech on Facebook before subsequently removing it. In response, one of the poetry judges, poet and literary critic Gwee Li Sui, said, "All entries have an equal chance of consideration for winning, and we discussed it based on that point alone, and on the strengths of the collections." The other poetry judges were prominent female poet Leong Liew Geok and poet Boey Kim Cheng.
Fiction
English Winner: Amanda Lee Koe - Ministry of Moral Panic Claire Tham - The Inlet O Thiam Chin - Love, or Something Like Love Audrey Chin - As the Heart Bones Break
Chinese Winner: Lim Hung Chang (Lin Gao) - Weixingxiaoshuo(林高微型小说／林高) Lai Yong Taw - Ding Xiang (丁香／流军) Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) - Jin Se Dai Shu(金色袋鼠／尤今) Lee Xuan Lou - Shuang Cheng Zhi Lian(双城之恋／李选楼)
Malay Winner: Yazid bin Hussein - Kumpulan Cerpen (Armageddon) Abdul Manaf bin Abdul Kadir - Suzan Anuar bin Othman - Tenggelamnya Kapal (Prince of Wales) Hassan Hasaa'ree Ali - Selamat Malam (Caesar) Yazid bin Hussein - Cahaya Mohd Pitchay Gani bin Mohd Abdul Aziz - Seking
Tamil Winner: Mohamed Kassim Shanavas - Moontraavatu Kai Jayanthi Sankar - Muga Puthagamum Sila Agappakkangalum Suriya Rethnna - Naan Noorjehan binte Ahmadsha - Vergal Packinisamy Panneerselvam - Maaya Krishnamurthi Mathangi - Oru Kodi Dollargal
Poetry
English Co-winner: Joshua Ip - Sonnets from the Singlish Co-winner: Yong Shu Hoong - The Viewing Party Grace Chia - Cordelia Theophilus Kwek - The Circle Line Tania De Rozario - Tender Delirium Koh Jee Leong - The Pillow Book
Malay Winner: Johar Buang - Pasar Diri Peter Augustine Goh - Genta Cinta Ahmad Md Tahir - Aisberg Kesimpulan Hamed bin Ismail - Suara Dalam Yazid bin Hussein - nota (buat wangsa dan buanaku)
Tamil Commendation: Krishnamurthi Mathangi – Malaigalin Parathal Samuel Nepolian Devakumar – Kaanaamal Pona Kavithaikal Chinnadurai Arumugam – Thagam Pichinikkadu Elango – Thoorikai Sirpangal Swaminathan Amirthalingam – Urakkach Cholvaen
Non-fiction
English Co-winner: Lim Siong Guan - The Leader, The Teacher & You Co-winner: Josephine Chia - Kampong Spirit Gotong Royong: Life In Potong Pasir 1955 to 1965 M. Ravi - Kampong Boy Hidayah Amin - The Mango Tree Fanny Lai - A Visual Celebration of Giant Pandas
Chinese Merit: Dr Ho Nai Kiong - The Biography of My Father 何乃强《父亲平藩的一生》 Merit: Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) - Even The Heart Soars 尤今《心也飞翔》 Dr Ho Nai Kiong - The Death of Kings and Emperors 何乃强《医生读史笔记》 Tham Yew Chin (You Jin) - Release Your Happiness 尤今《释放快乐》
Malay Merit: Mohamed Latiff Mohamed - Alam Kepenyairan Singapura: Pengamatam dan Penciptaan
Tamil Winner: Kotti Thirumuruganandam - Singapore Tamil Kavithai Varalaaru (History Of Singapore Tamil Poetry) Chitra Ramesh - Oru Nakarathin Kathai (Story Of A City) R Kalamohan - Sattamum Sambavangalum (Law And Incidents) Mohamed Kassim Shanavas - Ayal Pasi (Foreign Hunger)
Awards 2016 The 2016 edition received the most submissions ever in its 25-year history: 235 entries, compared to 2014's 182 and 2012's 57, with fiction receiving the most submissions.
Fiction
English Winner: Sonny Liew - The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye Jeremy Tiang - It Never Rains on National Day Leonora Liow - Moth: Stories Audrey Chin - Nine Cuts Mohamed Latiff Mohamed, trans. Alfian Sa'at - The Widower
Chinese Commendation: 谢裕民 (Chia Joo Ming) - Exile or Pursuit《放逐与追逐》 Commendation: 张挥 (Cheong Weng Yat aka Zhang Hui) - Shuang Kou Ding Yi Cun 《双口鼎一村－那些年那些事》 Merit: 英培安 (Yeng Pway Ngon) - Opera Costume 《戲服》
Malay Winner: Peter Augustine Goh - Air Mata di Arafah Peter Augustine Goh - Bayang-Bayang Yang Hilang Suratman Markasan - Dari Perang Datang Sampai Kamoe San Masuk Melayu Leyla Shuri - Terbelah Bintang Subaru
Tamil Winner: Sithuraj Ponraj - Maariligal Krishnamurthi Mathangi - Melbaculaso Suriya Rethnna - Paramapadham
Poetry
English Co-winner: Cyril Wong - The Lover's Inventory Co-winner: Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingde - I Didn’t Know Mani Was a Conceptualist Eric Tinsay Valles - After the Fall: Dirges Among Ruins Tse Hao Guang - Deeds of Light Gwee Li Sui - One Thousand and One Nights Cheryl Julia Lee - We Were Always Eating Expired Things
Chinese Merit: 吳耀宗 (Gabriel Wu) - Live Where the Imagination Is 《逐想像而居》 Merit: 陈维彪 (Tang Jui Piow) - The Sea Diary 《航海纪事》 沈璧浩 (Sim Piak How) - A City's Story《都市录》
Malay Winner: Hamed Ismail, Hartinah Ahmad, and Samsudin Said - Tafsiran Tiga Alam Noor Aisya bte Buang - Kastil Aisya Leo Suryadinatan - Kota Singa
Tamil