KUCHING: Sarawak continues to play an important role in strengthening Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, in addition to acting as the best example in preserving and developing the nation’s indigenous languages.

National Sasterawan and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan said that Sarawak's contribution to the development of the nation’s language and literature cannot be separated from the history of the development of the DBP, especially since the establishment of the Sarawak Branch of DBP almost five decades ago.

According to him, in conjunction with the DBP's 70th Anniversary Celebration which took place in Sarawak, the services of Sarawakian figures who championed the national language agenda should continue to be remembered, especially the fourth Sarawak Governor who was also the third Chief Minister of Sarawak, the late Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya'kub.

"History records that in the early 1970s, Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub, as the Chief Minister of Sarawak at the time, called for DBP to enter Sarawak in order to strengthen the use of the national language and spur the development of literature and knowledge in the state," he said.

He said this while speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek at DBP’s 70th Anniversary Celebration, officiated by the Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr. Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, here on Monday.

Explaining further, Datuk Dr Anwar stressed that Sarawak is also among the most important states in the agenda of preserving ethnic languages ​​and indigenous languages ​​that are part of the nation’s cultural treasures.

He said, DBP has played a major role in documenting and developing these languages ​​through the publication of various dictionaries and scientific reference materials.

"Among the proud successes is the publication of the Dewan Iban-Melayu Dictionary, the Dewan Mukah-Melayu Melanau Dictionary and the Dewan Sarawak-Melayu Malay Dictionary which are important references in efforts to preserve the language heritage of the local community.

"Efforts to preserve indigenous languages and local dialects including the languages in Sarawak need to continue because the strength of Bahasa Malaysia as a national language is also enriched by the diversity of related languages that exist in this nation," he added.

In addition, he also shared that DBP will expand its programmes and activities to the grassroots level to elevate the language, literature and culture of knowledge, in addition to strengthening the empowerment of the Malay language as well as the conservation of tribal languages through the DBP Strategic Plan 2026-2030 which utilizes digitisation, language big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, DBP Director General Datuk Dr Hazami Jahari and DBP Sarawak Branch Director Dr Azizul Ismail. -UKASnews