| Izah Azahari |
BRUNEI Darussalam is hosting this year’s Language Council of Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia (MABBIM) Language Seminar 2018 which was officially launched at the Parkview Hotel, Jerudong, in conjunction with the 57th MABBIM Executive Conference.
The guest of honour was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin.
The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat, followed by speeches by heads of representatives from three MABBIM member countries – Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and observing country Singapore – Hajah Sariani binti Haji Ishak, Acting Director of the Language and Literature Bureau of Brunei who is also the chairwoman of the event; Haji Md Johari bin Hasan, head of representatives of MABBIM Malaysia; Professor Dr Dadang Sunendar, head of mission of MABBIM Indonesia; and Farizan bin Md Amin, head observer of Singapore.
The event was enlivened by a Gulingtangan performance prior to the guest of honour’s speech and launching of the seminar and a book published by MABBIM.
The seminar aimed to serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and regional exchange of ideas between the three MABBIM member states; disseminate Malay and Indonesian languages among members and the general public; enrich the treasures of knowledge through Malay and Indonesian languages in various disciplines; publish lectures as basic references for the community and language researchers and make a comparative study among the three member countries of MABBIM in finding space to give suggestions towards solving problems.
Nine working papers will be presented where four of them are from Brunei, three from Malaysia, one from Indonesia and one a collaboration of the three member countries.
The four working papers from Brunei include the main working paper presented by the guest of honour entitled ‘Industri Pelancongan Sebagai Wahana Pengantarabangsaan Bahasa Melayu’ (Tourism Industry as a Vehicle for the Internationalisation of the Malay Language); ‘Pengantarabangsaan Bahasa Melayu melalui Ecopelancongan’ (Internationalisation of the Malay Language through Eco-Tourism) by Dr Hajah Aini binti Haji Karim; ‘Pengantarabangsaan Bahasa Melayu melalui Ecopelancongan: Perspektif Brunei Darussalam’ (Internationalisation of the Malay Language through Eco-Tourism: A Brunei Darussalam Perspective) by Dato Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Latif bin Haji Ibrahim; and ‘Rekyasa Bahasa Melayu dalam Sektor Pelancongan di Negara Brunei Darussalam: Satu Tinjauan Awal’ (Malay Language in the Tourism Sector in Brunei Darussalam: An Initial Review) by Annisa binti Haji Moksin.
About 200 participants are taking part in the two-day seminar.
The official launching of the seminar saw a number of speeches by the heads of representatives from the three member countries and observing country Singapore.
Hajah Sariani highlighted the Sultanate’s 33-year involvement in MABBIM since 1985 which saw a number of successes such as publication of research books, dictionaries and glossaries among others as well as various linguistic projects such as MABBIM scholarly workshops and lectures by invited professionals.
According to her, the seminar’s theme which was also the main working paper was chosen during the 56th MABBIM Executive Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, last year and is highly significant to the tourism industry. It carries an effective message in promoting the use of the Malay Language among tourists as countries in the region have a strategic geo-political foundation that will help spread the language. “If this foundation is promoted with a steady planning of language politics, it will be possible for Malay to become a language that can be internationalised like the other languages that are spreading now,” added the MABBIM Brunei representative.
“Language shows the way a person thinks and their national identity. A good language can give out a good message. Though the member countries have varying ecosystems, Malay Language needs to be developed as a tool for protecting their ethnic, social and cultural heritage.”
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