Proposal To Rebrand ASWARA Demands Thorough Consideration, Say Experts

By Norhidayyu Zainal

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- The proposal to rebrand the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) as Universiti P. Ramlee (UPR) is seen as an effort to honour the legacy of the nation’s iconic artiste, but the move requires a comprehensive assessment of the institution’s identity, direction and competitiveness, academics say.

While the idea has been welcomed by arts enthusiasts as a tribute to the immense contributions of the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee, experts caution that the rebranding of an educational institution should not be merely symbolic. Instead, it must take into account reputation, the needs of the creative industry and graduates’ employability.

Those interviewed by Bernama stressed that a change of name would have far-reaching implications for ASWARA’s standing as a talent development hub and creative production space, and as an intellectual platform that has built a distinct identity over many years.

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In this context, Associate Prof Dr Jamaluddin Aziz of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said there is no pressing need to rename ASWARA as UPR to honour P. Ramlee’s legacy. He suggested that such recognition would be better expressed through the establishment of a dedicated faculty, department or special chair.

“For example, the Adam Smith Business School is a faculty under the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, named after the renowned economist who was once a professor at the university,” he said.

Jamaluddin, who is a lecturer at UKM’s Centre for Media and Communication Studies, said ASWARA could also consider naming a specific faculty or department after the artiste, without changing the institution’s overall name.

He added that every institution has its own vision and mission that form the basis of branding decisions, noting that ASWARA has long been recognised as a comprehensive arts institution encompassing multiple disciplines.

“If the vision is to internationalise the institution, the question is whether the late P. Ramlee’s name is sufficiently recognised at the global level. For students from the Middle East or China, for instance, the name may not be familiar,” he said.

Bernama previously reported that the Klang Valley P. Ramlee Fan Club, whose president is Tan Sri Dr Yusoff Latif, intends to propose renaming ASWARA as Universiti P. Ramlee, with the suggestion expected to be submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the near future.

The club’s chairman Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh was quoted as saying that the time has come for the legendary artiste’s name to be considered as part of wider recognition of his contributions to the nation’s arts, ensuring that P. Ramlee’s legacy continues to resonate with future generations.

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Meanwhile, Dr Mohd Erman Maharam, an expert in film art and creative education, said the use of a prominent figure’s name is not, in itself, a determining factor in an institution’s international competitiveness.

Instead, academic reputation, scholarly impact, as well as the quality and employability of graduates, are the key benchmarks, according to Mohd Erman, the deputy dean (Academic and International) of the Faculty of Film, Theatre and Animation at Universiti Teknologi MARA’s Puncak Perdana campus.

He said any move to rebrand ASWARA as UPR should be evaluated based on the significance of the artiste concerned in shaping the institution’s philosophy and direction.

“Although P. Ramlee is often associated with Malay-language films, his works transcended his era, offering critical discourse on issues of class, socioeconomy and interethnic relations, as well as political and regional dynamics,” he said.

He added that an institution could adopt the late P. Ramlee’s progressive philosophy as the foundation for a more inclusive direction grounded in broad cultural discourse.

Ultimately, the justification for rebranding ASWARA does not lie in the name alone but in how far the spirit and thinking of P. Ramlee can strengthen the institution’s role in nurturing the next generation of artistic creators.

-- BERNAMA