Background
Malaon was born with the name Pudjiastuti Suratno on 1 December 1939 to Suratno Sastroamidjojo, a Javanese civil servant, and his wife. As her father was restationed, the family often moved around Java.
Malaon was born with the name Pudjiastuti Suratno on 1 December 1939 to Suratno Sastroamidjojo, a Javanese civil servant, and his wife. As her father was restationed, the family often moved around Java.
She graduated in 1965, having married Indra Malaon during her studies.
She was the sixth of ten children born to the couple. At the age of three, she became interested in dancing after watching traditional gamelan and dance performances at the home of a family friend. On 17 August 1950, during Independence Day celebrations, she performed for President Sukarno at the presidential palace.
She was also a cultural ambassador to Japan, China, and the Soviet Union.
She was enrolled in a dance school, but later dropped out. In 1959, Malaon began her studies at the English Literature program of the University of Indonesia, paying her way by working at an insurance agency.
She also became involved with theatre, receiving her first role in a play by Utuy Tatang Sontani. She became a lecturer on drama at the university in 1968, having taken the time to study African-American and absurd theatre.
Malaon made her feature-film debut in Teguh Karya"s 1971 work Wadjah Seorang Laki-laki (Ballad of a Manitoba).
This was followed by Perkawinan Semusim (A Season"s Marriage) three years later. In 1979 she was diagnosed with Hepatitis B. In 1982 she appeared in Neraca Kasih (Love"s Hell). Maloan"s husband died after being struck by a bus in October 1985.
At the time he was head judge of the Bogor city court.
The following year, Maloan starred in Karya"s 1986 film Ibunda (Mother), as the mother. This was followed by Cintaku di Rumah Susun (My Love at the House) in 1987.
She was only told of her appointment two weeks before her inauguration. Malaon received treatment for internal bleeding resulting from liver troubles in January 1989, from which she seemingly recovered fully.
However, on 15 September 1989 she was checked into Doctor Mintohardjo Hospital, once again for internal bleeding, and died five days later.
At the time of her death she was working for Matra magazine and ran Piranti Esa Nusa, a public relations firm, out of her home. Maloan"s last film, Pacar Ketinggalan Kereta (Lover Left by the Train), which had begun production in 1988, was released that October. Her position at the People"s Consultative Assembly was filled by Rae Sita Supit in August 1991.
That October she was chosen as a member of the People"s Consultative Assembly, representing artists and creative workers.