Izah Azahari
Ar-Rafi Archery Sports Academy Centre (PASMA) launched a reading corner to equip its members with knowledge, during a ceremony at its centre in Kampong Jangsak yesterday.
Permanent Secretary (Culture) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Pengiran Haji Mohd Hasnan bin Pengiran Haji Ali Hassan, who launched the corner, said the initiative is a result of a whole-of-nation approach with the cooperation of the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) to improve the reading culture for the community.
“Reading catalyses and strengthens the education of each individual who will be able to contribute to a high quality of life,” said Pengiran Haji Mohd Hasnan, highlighting the habit can contribute to Brunei Vision 2035 in creating a highly educated and knowledgeable society.
He also emphasised the significance of organising strategies to empower the Malay language in the Sultanate through various programmes and activities.
“Empowering a reading culture through this reading corner will contribute to the effort in making the Malay language significant in Brunei,” he said.
The permanent secretary added that providing information and knowledge will help the people to generate critical and strong analytical thinking skills, as well as improves vocabularies and communication skills.
The reading corner is one of the services offered by DBP in preparing reading materials, providing PASMA members with information on life skills, archery and swimming, as well as story books.
“Alhamdulillah, the space and opportunity not only benefits employees, trainers, trainees and visitors to gain deeper knowledge on archery, but also allow them to learn other fields such as literature and culture,” he added.
Pengiran Haji Mohd Hasnan hopes the initiative will not be short-lived and will be developed further in the future, while allowing access to everyone, including residents in the area.
“This reading corner is hoped to inspire other stakeholders to create similar initiatives in their respective buildings or premises to instil reading culture,” the permanent secretary said.
The DBP is supplying some 200 Malay and English books to the centre, targetting children and adults alike. They will be replaced every three to six months, according to the needs of PASMA.
Several reading corners have also been established by the DBP including the Scout Reading Corner (Suluh Ilmu), Maraburong Prison Reading Corner, Al-Islah Centre Reading Corner, Mendaram Longhouse (Belait), Amo Longhouse (Temburong) and Semabat Longhouse (Temburong).
PASMA Manager Pengiran Haji Radno bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad Tahir was also present.
