Day: June 29, 2024

PUTRAJAYA, 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

“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 activitie
s,” 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.

“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 Muhamm
ad 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.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TELUK INTAN, The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) has allocated RM4.9 million in incentives to 62 associations and art companies to implement cultural art programmes in Perak since 2022.

MOTAC deputy secretary-general (cultural) Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusoff said the allocation given since 2022 till June this year was incentives in the form of culture sector support grants to spur arts and cultural activities.

“MOTAC always assists arts and cultural non-governmental organisations (NGO) and companies in the state to continue to conduct activities that highlight art and culture,’ he said during his speech at the officiation of the Temasya Budaya @ Negeri Perak 2024 at Dataran Menara Condong Teluk Intan here tonight.

Mohd Yusri said Temasya Budaya @ Negeri Perak was one of 15 cultural tourism programmes organised by the National Culture and Arts Department throughout the country.

‘In conjunction with Visit Perak Year 2024, MOTAC welcomes and assists the implementation of programmes in the state to highli
ght local cultural and art activities that indirectly have a positive impact on local tourism activities,’ he said.

The four-day Temasya Budaya @ Negeri Perak showcases various arts and cultural events in the state, including Festival Homestay Perak, Cultural Art Clinics, Busana Run, Serikandi Puteri Perak Contest, Gendang Urumi Contest, Dabus Kreasi Contest, Sambey Perak Contest, Jawi Writing Contest, and various traditional cultural demonstrations.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

NIBONG TEBAL, Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk R. Ramanan stated that the Indian community has renewed confidence in the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He hoped that the community would allow the Unity Government more time to govern the country and develop additional programmes and initiatives tailored specifically to them.

“Looking at the past six months, the government has established various programmes for the Indian community, including RM50 million allocated through the Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i) Scheme.”

“All these announcements have been made in a short period. Currently, we are also working on new initiatives and ideas to ensure the community receives (more) government assistance. This will take some time,” he told reporters at the Cooperative Chat programme organised by the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission at the Perda Community Hall, Padang Lalang, Simpang Ampat, today.

He urged c
ooperatives to take advantage of the financing facilities provided by the commission, adding that assistance ranges from RM100,000 to RM300,000 and is available to start-up, scale-up, and advanced cooperatives.

Start-ups refer to cooperatives that have been in business for at least six months, while scale-ups have been operational for a year, and advanced for three years.

“The assistance covers the upgrading of business premises, purchasing tools, equipment, and machinery, and putting in drainage systems for plantation areas and more,” he said.

“Currently, there are eight financing products available with interest rates as low as 1.0 percent, designed to benefit over 15,000 cooperatives in Malaysia,’ he elaborated.

Commenting on allegations of attempts to sabotage the Unity campaign machinery in the Sungai Bakap by-election, Ramanan, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy Information chief 1, said such acts of vandalism do not set a good example for the youth.

‘There is no point for us to campaign in t
his manner. It is very demoralising to everyone, including our children. Let’s be mature. Elections will come and go but we will be here (to witness the impact on our society),’ he said.

On June 27, the Penang branch of Angkatan Muda Keadilan filed a police report claiming that certain parties were trying to sabotage the Unity campaign machinery for the by-election by taking down Pakatan Harapan (PH) banners and flags, with some even thrown into drains.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA PILAH, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has expressed hope that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will continue to be a preferred pathway for advancing education to higher levels, particularly for students who did not attain satisfactory results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

The Minister of Rural and Regional Development highlighted that many countries like Japan and China also viewed TVET as a primary education system offering extensive career opportunities in the future, particularly for young people.

“Many investors, both local and foreign, require engineers and technical professionals. Where else can we find such skilled workforce if not through TVET? That’s why we’ve established numerous TVET institutions nationwide.

‘It also proves that through TVET, one can pursue education up to the doctoral level,” he said when launching the Kuala Pilah UMNO Division meeting attended by over 700 representatives from 126 branches here today.

He mention
ed that the employment rate for TVET graduates was high, reaching 94.5 per cent.

In addition, Ahmad Zahid said that Tahfiz students were also offered opportunities to continue their education in TVET to enable them to secure jobs in technical or engineering fields while further strengthening their religious education.

He added that 200 spots out of 5,125 quotas for short and medium-term TVET training courses in China were offered to the Negeri Sembilan youths.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency