Bandar Seri Begawan - Some 200 literary writers attended a dinner, which marked the conclusion of the 4th Brunei Literary Writers Convention, at Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong on Saturday.
The evening also saw the recital of modern and traditional poems.
The highlight of the event was a narration of several verses of syair by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad bin Haji Daud.
Earlier, Malik Metarsad and Delima Moksin of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) went on stage to recite syair with funny quips provided by Haji Mahadi Haji Matzin.
Also present at the dinner were Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Paduka Haji Jemat bin Haji Ampai, as well as YAM Pg Setia Negara Pg Hj Mohd Yusof, Pehin Siraja Khatib DP Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Yahya and Pehin JaWatan Dalam Seri Maharaja Dato Seri Utama Dr Hj Awang Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri.
Local winners of Southeast Asia Write Award (SEAWrite), such as Badaruddin HO, Yahya MS, Yura Halim, Dato Paduka Hj Muslim Burmat, Mohd Salleh Latiff, Rahim MS and A Mohamad Timbang, were also present.
DBP Director Dr Mataim bin Bakar, in his welcoming speech, said literature plays a role in human development, adding that he fully supported the suggestion made by Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Badaruddin, a renowned writer and SEAWrite Award 1998 winner, for local literary writers to convene informally at least once a month to recite poems and discuss literature.
He added that the National Translation Institute remains a vision that needs to be followed up to popularise local literature at international level.
Source: www.brudirect.com (19 November 2007)
