KUCHING: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sarawak branch is also focusing on the collection and documentation of local wisdom (kearifan) in its continuing effort to promote the use of the national language in Sarawak.
DBP Sarawak director, Abang Haliman Abang Julai, said various development, research, and publishing activities have been carried out, including the compilation, collection, and documentation of Sarawak ethnic languages into word lists and ethnic language dictionaries.
“This year, DBP successfully published the Sarawak Malay Dictionary, which will be launched on Oct 25, and the Narum Word List, which was launched on Sept 30 of the past year.
“The dictionary, as in the case of the word list, will be launched by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” he said at the Majlis Anugerah Tinta Kenyalang 2023, inaugurated by the Director-General of DBP , Hazami Jahari, on Friday night.
In addition, Abang Haliman said, in collaboration with the Sarawak government, DBP will organise a Multiracial Folklore Story Rewriting Competition to preserve the national heritage, especially the indigenous literary heritage of Sarawak.
He said this competition will close early next year and will encompass all types of folk tales and adventures, animal stories, humour tales, origin stories, myths and legends.
In this context, he said the people of Sarawak are fortunate because the state government always supports language and literary activities.
“This year, the Sarawak government allocated funds to the DBP Sarawak branch to organise various language and literary programmes, such as the Anugerah Sastera Negeri Sarawak, for which nominations will begin this year,” he said.
“Anugerah Sastera Negeri Sarawak comes under the auspices of the Sarawak government and is the highest recognition in the field of literature in the state,” he added.
This award has been managed by DBP since 1994, and to date, five local authors have been recognised as State Laureates.
“The award also recognises authors in language categories alongside the national language, such as Sarawak Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Chinese, English, Orang Ulu languages, and more,” he added.
