According to researcher Athi Sivan (1997), Hamzah propagated the Gautierian called to distance Asas '50 from the left wing ideologies prevalent at that time in Singapore, especially in Utusan Melayu.
left to reside back in Malaya, while several loyal members remained in Singapore and continue to spearhead the association to this day.
The philosophy held by Asas '50 was described by Keris Mas as follows: In the field of literature, the proponents of ASAS 50 adopted a new breathe of style, employing a mode of language that is fresh, departing from the preceding genre of writers, propounding the themes of societal awareness, politics and culture with the aim of revitalising the spirit of freedom, the spirit of independence of a people (bangsa) of its own unique sense of honour and identity, upholding justice and combating oppression... We criticised societal backwardness and those whom we regard as the instruments responsible for the birth of such backwardness.
We criticised colonialism and its instruments, that is, the elite class, those whose consciousness have been frozen by the influence of feudalism and myths, and superstition that has been enmeshed with religion.
[citation needed] With the motto Seni Untuk Masyarakat (Arts for the People), Asas '50 was inspired by the Indonesian writers movement, Angkatan 45.
For this reason, Asas '50's stated aim was to free the community from psychological and intellectual oppression left behind during the reign of the colonial masters and the Japanese Occupation.
Many of its members are also involved in activities organised and held by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Mastera and Mabbim.
[citation needed] The Asas '50 youth wing was started in 2002 with the mission of shaping the next generation of leaders and activists in the Malay literary scene.
The younger members of Asas '50 comprise a large portion of the trainee teachers of the National Institute of Education Townsville Campus.
Funded by National Arts Council via the Singapore Cultural Medallion Grant, the book was a bilingual compilation of Abdul Ghani Hamid's poems and paintings.
[citation needed] This book highlights the importance of Muhammad Ariff Ahmad in the Malay culture, language, and literary arena.
This anthology comprises literary works contributed by young writers and is released in commemoration of Asas '50's 55 years celebration.
[citation needed] Jamil Sulong was a founder member of ASAS 50 and was a link for the Malay film industry in Singapore.
[citation needed] For example, Asraf's wife, Fatimah Murad, was the editor of P.Ramlee's film magazine called the "Majalah Bintang."
[citation needed] These poems, shorts stories, and essays focused on issues of the community from the social, religious, political, and economical perspectives.
In this project, Asas '50 acted as the middleman in obtaining the literary works of the Tun Sri Lanang award winners, which included books, private collections, and more.