Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei Darussalam needs to place more effort in upholding and enhancing its literature‘s heritage.
This was stated by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hj Ahmad Hj Abdul Rahman, in his speech at the Creative Bahana prize presentation ceremony, yesterday.
According to the deputy permanent secretary, lately there has been an increase of "viruses" that aimed to destroy the sanctity of our nation‘s literature.
Therefore, he said, cooperation between the Language and Literature Bureau and various local non-governmental organisations such as Asterawani, whose members consist of local writers and scholars, the Putera Seni group. UBD Rakis group and others similar organisations, is of utmost importance in order to preserve our literature.
He also said that this type of cooperation can even heighten the glory of Brunei‘s literature to an international level.
The deputy permanent secretary also suggested that to increase the importance of Brunei‘s literature, prizes should not only be limited to writers but also to critics, researcher, editors and scholars for their contributions in upholding the creativity of local writers.
Apart from that, the guest of honour suggested for the Language and Literature Bureau to publish more intellectual non-fiction literature writings in the Bahana magazine.
In the speech he also stressed the need to take advantage of advancements in Information Technology to spur efforts in research works of literature still not discovered which are scattered around the Malay Archipelago.
"We need to put more effort to retrieve and revive these lost treasures to preserve them for the next generation," Pit said.
He also suggested the bureau to consider translating existing literature text to other foreign languages.
"The translation is to invite the attention of foreign literature experts, who will be able to evaluate the quality of our literature and at the same time elevate its prestige in the international world," Hj Ahmad went on to say.
He added that by sending local writers and scholars to other nations, it would also help to expose Brunei‘s literature. Another method, he added, is by setting up a reading corner and libraries, where books published by the bureau can he easily accessible for the public to read.
Hj Ahmad also urged the bureau to seize the opportunity to make Brunei Darussalam the documentation centre for Islamic literature.
"The opportunity is wide open, especially since we are the only nation in the Malay Archipelago to have Islam as our official religion and that we have promising creative writers with the right guidance that can become like other prominent icons such as Yahya M S Shukri Zain and Adi Rumi," he said.
Source: www.brudirect.com (16 Agustus 2007)
