The writer most famous internationally for his Buru Quartet, a tetralogy chronicling the rise of Indonesian nationalism against Dutch colonialism, died last night at the age of 81. The perennial Noble prize nominee had been hospitalized since Thursday for heart problems.

It is such an irony that someone that should be invaluable as a cultural asset to a young country never got the government recognition he deserves. Even to this day some of his works are still blacklisted in Indonesia while internationally he has received multiple awards such as the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from France and the PEN Freedom to Write award. The Buru Quartet has been translated into more than 40 languages in 40 countries. These foreign-earned royalties are his main income in that the past few years.

Probably the only reason he never got the Noble prize is because he hadn't released anything in the past decade plus the unfavorable opinion of the Noble Prize Committee towards the Indonesian government.