Malay Weddings Don't Cost $50 And Other Facts of Malay Culture

Malay Weddings Don't Cost $50 is a collection of 42 articles which serves as a guide to Malay culture and heritage, lifestyle and personas. The book highlights some Malay customs and practices, including controversial issues such as virginity, circumcision, supernatural beings, and the infamous '$50-Malay-wedding' remark that triggered a heated debate on racism in Singapore in October 2012. It also includes a number of stories originally published under the "Let's Lepak!" (Let's Chill!) column on the now-defunct website of Singapore International Foundation (www.singaporekopitiam.sg), delighting many Singaporeans and foreigners who wanted to understand more about the Malays. This book is one of the few books about Malay culture and heritage written in English. The 42 articles cover a variety of topics, and though laden with facts, are written for easy reading and understanding.

Hidayah Amin had her first short story published when she was 11 years old. It was only when she lost her childhood home that she resumed writing and published Gedung Kuning in 2010. She has since written four non-fiction books (Malay Weddings Don’t Cost $50; Kampung Tempe; Bahasa) and three children’s books, including the award-winning The Mango Tree. (Mina Meets Cambridge; My Name is Mikhail: I have cerebral palsy). 

One of the unique formats of her children’s books is the use of the dyslexie font which is suitable for readers with dyslexia. She has also published a series of books that come in Braille to cater to the needs of the visually impaired. In 2017, she has also published for other authors such as The Rain Tree by Lee Seow Ser, and My Name is Nadia: I have Autism by Huda Patel.