Silat, pidato performances and poetry recital were among the highlights of the colourful Malay Language Month Celebration 2023 organised by the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) at The Mall yesterday.
The celebration was live streamed in Zoom application on the DBP’s official Facebook account.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad was present along with Legislative Council (LegCo) members as well as the event’s executive committee of Malay, permanent committee of Brunei Darussalam Malay Language, recipients of Southeast Asia Write Award and former directors and deputy directors of DBP and heads of departments.
The event aimed to glorify the Malay language as the official language of the country and the nation’s identity, foster a sense of shared ownership of the language, popularise the language through public participation as well as enliven the Malay Language Month Celebration.
This year’s theme is similar to previous years which is ‘Memperkasakan Bahasa Melayu’ or ‘Empowering the Malay Language’ which is the responsibility and awareness of the whole community to uphold and preserve the Malay language as the social heritage of the community towards the formation of a national identity.
DBP Acting Director Suip bin Haji Abdul Wahab in his welcoming remark said DBP is continuing its effort to glorify and empower Malay language by hosting programmes and activities to strengthen the use of Malay language as the country’s national language.”
The Malay Language Month, he said “is one of the flagship activities of the department in organising numerous initiatives, activities and programmes toward the comprehension of priotising the Malay language as the language for communication.”
Ten minutes of book reading was observed by all the guests followed by the language oath read by Chung Hwa Middle School Bandar Seri Begawan students, led by Tan Been Tiem, the Language Ambassador in 2015.
LegCo member Yang Berhormat Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan delivered a poetry declaration.
The champion of the National Pidato Competition in conjunction with the 39th National Day celebration, Muhammad Iqbaal Syakib bin Haji Suhib and a group of students from Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Primary School put up a performance at the event.
The minister presented the title of Language Ambassador 2023 to Professor Ampuan Dr Haji Brahim bin Ampuan Haji Tengah.
Winners of the Seni Khat Jawi competition, Children’s Storybook Translation Contest published by DBP, Novel Adaptation Contest to Stage Drama Script as well as the panel of judges, outstanding students, and performance participants and sponsoring companies, received prizes and mementos. – James Kon
