When Ayne Zarof first put pen to paper for her first book, Malaysia in You, she never expected it to resonate so deeply with Malaysians around the world. Now, the London-based paediatrician, writer and author is using her voice—and her book—to help Malaysian children abroad connect with their roots and inspire conversations about what it truly means to be Malaysian.
Making a Dream Come True & Strengthening Roots
Ayne’s journey to the United Kingdom (UK) began in her teens, when her family moved to Scotland during her Form 5 year. After completing her A-Levels in Brighton, she spent a gap year volunteering in Kenya and working as a writer at AMG International, a publishing house in Kuala Lumpur (KL) before pursuing her medical degree at University College London (UCL).
Fast forward 15 years later, Ayne now juggles a career as a paediatrician and raising two children, a three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter.
Through it all, there was one childhood dream that always stuck with her: becoming an author. When she went on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter, it presented the perfect opportunity to finally make it happen.
On what inspired Malaysia in You, Ayne revealed that it was born out of a deep desire to preserve her children’s connection to their homeland.
“I just thought, if we’re not able to go back to Malaysia for a few years, what would I want my children to know?”
Aside from strengthening her children’s ties to their roots, writing Malaysia in You also reinforced Ayne’s own connection to hers.
“I came across this term called ‘cultural preservation, which is when you feel more connected to your culture when you’re away from it,” said Ayne.
The term struck a chord with her, as she related with how being away from her birth country and having fewer Malaysian cultural experiences as a result have made her feel more connected to it.
“I remember almost crying while writing the manuscript and listening to (Malaysian singer) Yuna’s rendition of Malaysia Truly Asia,” she admitted.
All these culminated in the simple yet moving plot of Malaysia in You, which tells the story of a young family living abroad. Like Ayne’s family, the central characters are made up of a mum, dad and two little kids.
“The mum in the story is born in Malaysia, and throughout the book she tells her family about what makes Malaysia great and why there is Malaysia in them wherever they go,” said Ayne.
Bringing a Book to Life
Once the story was written, it was time to give Malaysia in You a physical body.
From the start, Ayne knew she wanted to publish the book herself as she wished to learn the process from scratch and have full control over every aspect.
This self-starter approach led her to collaborate with a printing company in Malaysia, which she worked closely with to finetune the nitty-gritty of the book, from its paper to its size to its ink to its binding.
In a real-life reflection of the book’s multicultural theme, Ayne also teamed up with Indonesia artist Garin Adi to bring her story to life through his vibrant illustrations.
This type of cross-border collaboration echoes what MyHeart is about, which champions collaboration between Malaysians globally. As a registered member, creatives like Ayne can be connected with other Malaysian artists via the platform’s Network & Connect feature.
Then came the process of promoting her book, which Ayne did by engaging and collaborating with a variety of Malaysian voices and spaces.
On social media, Ayne spread word of Malaysian in You by first establishing an Instagram page to share not only her book, but also her authentic experiences of and thoughts about living abroad.
Additionally, she teamed up with Malaysian voices like @malaysiandiaspora, @sinardailymy and @ulatbukutales to amplify her book, which enabled it to reach the right audience.
On top of all that, Ayne returned home to do readings at kindergartens and community spaces like Bual Space at Aperture Cafe in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Her efforts have certainly borne fruit, as Ayne said pre-orders have exceeded her expectations and she has received positive feedback from many Malaysian parents, uncles and aunts about how her story resonates with them.
While the story is primarily targeted at third culture kids (a term for individuals who spend a significant part of their childhood and adolescence (typically before the age of 18) growing up in a culture different from their parents’ home culture or heritage), Ayne revealed that many parents have gotten emotional reading it as well.
“They’re no longer reading about someone named Bob or Mary. Plus, the story acknowledges their experiences, which makes reading it even more special,” she shared.
“They tell me things like ‘oh I have a nephew, he would like this book’, and that they really like seeing people who look like them in print.”
More Than Just a Children’s Tale
Despite having only been launched on 14 July, it is clear that Malaysia in You has already made an impact.
Ayne hopes the book sparks wider conversations between parents and children about their roots, especially amid the challenges of raising children in environments so different from their own upbringing.
She candidly shared her anxieties about bringing up her own third culture kids, saying: “There is this fear of us of not being able to relate to our children, as there is not only the generational divide but also the challenge of guiding them in an environment that we didn’t grow up in.”
With the book, Ayne wants kids abroad to remember that they “should not dim their light just to fit in”, and that it “propels them to be proud of their complex identity”.
Now that Malaysia in You has made its rounds in KL, Ayne is turning her sights on the UK next.
At this year’s Merdeka Carnival in Hertford, she will host a children’s corner with book readings and activities, alongside booths of Malaysian food and products for an expected crowd of 3,000 to 4,000.
In a witty nod to her book, she will also be selling shirts with the words ‘Anak Diaspora Club’ on them, so visitors and their kids can wear their pride on their sleeves —literally.
Beyond that, Ayne plans to hold readings in other cities in the UK, take part in more outreach events, and meet more Malaysian families along the way.
Looking Ahead: A Platform to Preserve the Malaysian Within
Now that the spark of authorship has been lit, Ayne is determined to put pen to paper for more books in the next few months.
In the long run, she wants to create more spaces—both physical and literary—for Malaysian stories and culture to flourish abroad. She envisions communities where Malaysian children abroad can learn about their language, games and culture without shame.
“It’d be nice if there was a space where Bahasa Melayu, Chinese and Tamil were taught, and we could learn zapin or play congkak without being shy,” she mused.
Her advice to fellow Malaysians who wish to follow in her literary footsteps is this: “The biggest obstacle is yourself. There is a big sense of impostor syndrome when you put yourself out there, but if you never try, you’ll never know.”
“We need your work, your art, your perspectives. Don’t let the fear of failure and rejection stop you from putting your work out there.”
Malaysia in You is now available for purchase in Malaysia, the UK, Australia and Europe.
Are you a Malaysian abroad looking to share your stories or collaborate with others like you in your area? Join MyHeart today and be part of a global community that connects Malaysians everywhere.
