GOVT TO STEP UP EFFORTS TO ELEVATE NATIONAL ART, LITERATURE -PM ANWAR

PUTRAJAYA, June 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government will be giving serious attention to efforts to empower national art culture and literature in line with the endeavour outlined under the concept of Malaysia Madani. 

Anwar Ibrahim said he had held a meeting with seven national laureates today to listen their grievances, remarks and views to empower the nation's art, culture and literature.   

In a dialogue session lasting more than one and a half hours, Anwar said various brilliant ideas were thrown by the writers, among them was to create a Nusantara Literary Council as a forum to exchange ideas between the countries of the archipelago, boosting translation efforts, besides reviewing the role of the cultural attaché

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"It is also proposed that the area around Jalan Belfield and Jalan Bukit Petaling, which houses the offices of the Malaysian National Writers' Associations (GAPENA), Rumah Pena and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, as a focal point to converge literary, language and cultural activities," he said in a post on his official Facebook page, here today.

Anwar said the discussion also touched on the issue of learning and teaching of local and world literature works.

In addition, he said there should be greater emphasis on literature by National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) in its foundation, diploma and first degree programmes. 

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"I also suggest that the masterpieces of national laureates be published in a more attractive form to be used as souvenirs for government guests and they can also be distributed in Malaysian embassies abroad to be used as public reading material," he said.

"I really appreciate the discourse with the national laureates and the ideas presented. God willing, the government will give serious attention to efforts to raise the dignity of the country's art, culture and literature in line with the efforts outlined in the concept of Malaysia Madani," he said.

The dialogue session was attended by national laureates, Datuk Dr A Samad Said, Prof Emeritus Muhammad Salleh, Datuk Dr Mohd Anuar Haj Rethwan, Datuk Baharuddin Zainal, Datuk Dr Zurinah Hassan, Prof Datuk Dr Siti Zainon lsmail and Datuk Dr Rahman Shaari.

Also present was chairman of the Translation and Book Institute of Malaysia (ITBM) Noor Amin Ahmad.

-- BERNAMA