Bandar Seri Begawan - Some 20 literary activists comprising writers, thinkers and university lecturers attended a get-together recently at the Restoran Koperasi Serbaguna Polis in Delima Jaya Complex of Serusop to discuss ways of improving literature in the country.
Organising Chairman Hj Ahmad Hussain, also the Penghulu of Mukim Berakas `A`, said that new paradigms must be found to advance Malay literature and popularise it among the younger generation in Brunei.
"Youths are now more interested in other things, such as computer games, television, chatting, mobile phones and so on," he said.
Amongst those present were Dato Paduka Hj Muslim Hj Burnt, Hj Abd Rahman Yusof, K Manis, Yusof MD, Hj Abd Hakim Hj Mohd Yassin, Rahim MS, Mohd Zefri Arif, Abdul Latif Chuchu, Sosonjan Khan, Yahya Ghafar and Suip Wahab.
They mostly agreed on the suggested setting of a national literary committee to come up with methodologies to compete with other exciting developments in science and technology.
"Members of the council should also think about ways of advancing Malay literature as well as introducing our writers not only to the local community, but also the world," he added. At the end of the discussion, they also agreed to introduce writers and their works to schools.
The activists also called for the literary works of royal writers such as Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa`adul Khairi Waddien and Pg Sarmayuda Pg Shahbandar Mohd Salleh to be more widely distributed as to not lose such important legacies.
They called for a detailed analysis of the writings to spur greater interest.
The resolutions will be forwarded to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports on July 29 for further actions.--
Source: www.brudirect.com (19 Juli 2007)
