| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
THE Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) yesterday celebrated the 50th anniversary of Mekar magazine and held a prize presentation ceremony for winners of the Mekar-Juara Pelajar Magazine Essay Writing Competition 2017 at its Samayuda Hall building at the Old Airport, Berakas.
Present as the guest of honour was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof.
The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat followed by a video presentation and choir performance.
Speaking at the event, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi highlighted that over the past five decades, the editorial team of Mekar has faced various challenges in maintaining the magazine’s quality.
The minister encouraged the Mekar team to be more proactive in shaping its content and more aware of the readers’ needs in a bid to attract not only the young readers, but teenagers and adults as well.
The minister stated his belief that Mekar magazine remains as a useful source of reference and supplementary material for teachers and students in mastering the Malay Language subject, which is reflected in the DBP’s success in expanding and upholding the usage of Malay as the official language of Brunei.
“The rapid advancements of digital technology has created the side effect of children now being more inclined towards using gadgets rather than print material,” said the minister. “Society should become more sensitive to this new development because it tends to divert the children’s attention more towards technology instead of reading activities.
“I hope that the essay writing competition will help instil an interest in reading among children and adolescents.
“The ministry suggests the DBP – particularly its Literature, Magazines and Journal Division – to establish a Children Writer’s Club aimed at producing potential writers capable of publishing works on national or international level,” added the minister.
He said among the initiatives which can be introduced is a “writers academy” aimed at polishing young writing talents unearthed from the essay writing competition, adding that such a step can potentially help in overcoming the lack of reliable and respected writers, particularly in Islamic literature.
In his remarks, Acting Director of DBP Suip bin Haji Abdul Wahab made special mention of Mekar’s 123 editorial team, which has worked hard throughout Mekar’s 50 years of publication – a team which comprises the editor, design and illustration coordinator, publication co-ordinator, photographers and typists.
“They are the driving force behind the improvement in the quality of Mekar magazine each year.
“Hence, this 50th anniversary celebration is to show appreciation to the editorial team of Mekar magazine, who are involved in its publication and the reason why it is able to stand strong until today,” he said.
“The existence of Mekar has had a profound effect on the development of local literature.”
The event saw the guest of honour cutting a cake to celebrate Mekar magazine’s 50th anniversary, before launching the ‘Mekarku Sayang’ books.
The minister presented prizes to the winners of the Mekar-Juara Pelajar Magazine Essay Writing Competition 2017.
The competition’s objectives, among others, are to promote and highlight Mekar magazine to school students as well as to encourage and inculcate within them a reading culture.
The competition has been designed to motivate students to be more involved in creative and non-creative writing with the hope that they – the truly passionate and talented ones, if not all – will be able to forge a career in writing in the future.
This year’s competition has seen 237 essay submissions from 25 primary schools and 12 secondary schools across the nation.
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