Opening Address By Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister Of State For Information, Communications And The Arts, And Health, At The 7th Malay Literary Award Presentation 2005 On Saturday, 31 December 2005, 3.10 Pm At The Malay Heritage Centre

Opening Address By Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister Of State For Information, Communications And The Arts, And Health, At The 7th Malay Literary Award Presentation 2005 On Saturday, 31 December 2005, 3.10 Pm At The Malay Heritage Centre

His Excellency, Mochamad Slamat Hidayat, Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore ;

Mr Yatiman Yusof
Chairman, Malay Language Council Singapore;

Associate Professor Shaharuddin Maaruf
Chairman, Malay Literary Award Presentation Committee;

Parliamentary colleagues;

Recipients of the Tun Seri Lanang Award;

Distinguished guests and writers;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

1. I am honoured to be here this afternoon for the 7th Malay Literary Award Presentation. It is only fitting that the Award presentation is held here at the Malay Heritage Centre which showcases the finest of Singapore’s Malay culture, heritage and history. Allow me to first say a few words in Bahasa Melayu first, before continuing the rest of my speech in English.
2. Saya rasa berbesar hati kerana diundang sebagai Tetamu Terhormat di acara yang penuh bermakma ini yang diadadakan di tempat yang penuh sejarah ini.
   (English translation: I am glad to be invited as the Guest of Honour at a significant event which is held at a historic place.)
3. Saya rasa amat sesuai sekali majlis ini diadakan di sini selaras dengan kedudukan Singapura sebagai pusat perkembangan persuratan Melayu pada suatu masa dahulu.
   (English translation: I feel that the ceremony is held at a very apt place because the area played an important role when Singapore was the centre of Malay literature at one time.)
4. Saya yakin dengan Singapura berkembang sebagai bandar kosmopolitan, peranan persuratan Melayu akan mendapat dorongan yang lebih besar. Dan saya yakin badan-badan persuratan Melayu, khusus Majlis Bahasa Melayu Singapura, akan mempunyai peranan yang lebih penting dalam memastikan ketekalan mutu karya-karya yang dihasilkan dan meningkatkan jumlah penulis prolifik yang menyumbang kepada arena persuratan Singapura. Anugerah Persuratan merupakan kunci kepada usaha merealisasikan visi ini.
   (English translation: I am confident that with Singapore’s development as a cosmopolitan city, the role of Malay literature will receive a bigger boost. And I am confident that Malay literary bodies, particularly the Malay Language Council, will have a more important role in ensuring that writers produce works that are of consistently high quality and thus increase the number of Malay writers who contribute to the literary scene in Singapore. The Malay Literary Award constitutes a key to the effort to realise the vision.)
   
   

   Malay Culture and Language in the Singapore Context

5. Singapore is special in many ways. In a highly cosmopolitan island state, Singapore’s Malay culture is perhaps one of the most cosmopolitan of Malay cultures in the international arena. In a multi-racial and multi-cultural society, Singapore’s Malay language not only exists side-by-side but thrives alongside other languages. It is against such a backdrop that the Malay culture and language have continued to flourish in Singapore , despite the fact that Malays are in the minority in Singapore . This augurs well for Singapore ’s Malay culture and language. I say this because I think you can agree with me that in the global arena, no single language, no single race and no single religion can consider themselves to be the sole majority. In the global arena, all of us are minorities.
   
   

   The Role of Malay Language Council Singapore (MLCS)

6. I am delighted to know that the Malay Language Council Singapore (MLCS) continues to play an important role in both supporting and promoting the Malay language in Singapore. The Council’s objectives in giving these Awards biennially are to encourage outstanding Malay writing and literature.
7. It is often said that language is at the heart of our culture. Indeed, it is only through writers that language and therefore culture comes alive. It is only through good Malay writing and literature that Malay culture advances and thrives. Notwithstanding our small population base, we, as a nation, can make considerable contributions to the world of Malay culture by developing outstanding Malay writing in Singapore. In this regard, the Council has proven itself to be farsighted in promoting Malay writing as an integral part of promoting the larger Malay culture.
   
   

   Singapore’s Literary Landscape

8. A fine example of one of Singapore’s outstanding Malay writers is the late Dr Masuri Salikun. You would all recall that he dedicated 55 years of his life promoting and nurturing Malay literature selflessly through Asas’50 or Literary Movement of the 50s. I remember with fondness that he was deeply involved in the precursor of the Malay Literary Award – the Perkampungan Sastera or “Literary Village” in English, which was the Literature Prize initiative by Asas’50 way back in 1974.
9. Dr Masuri has certainly left behind a legacy. Today, we witness a growing number of awards and writers as well as an increasing number of Malay language publications. For example, the activities of younger Malay literary groups, such as KAMUS; Kelab Coretan Remaja – initiative of the Berita Harian; and Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu otherwise also known as 4PM have not gone unnoticed and unappreciated. They have all played no small role in contributing to the vibrancy of Singapore ’s Malay literary scene. I was told that some 3,200 works from 1,600 writers have been published in Berita Minggu since 1965. This does not even include works by our young writers, anthologies, compilations, magazines, journal and other form of publications.
10. Malay writing received a boost this year with the launch of “READ! SINGAPORE ”, an initiative by the National Library Board to promote the culture of reading. Three Malay books - Satu Bumi by Isa Kamari, Badai Semalam by Khadijah Hashim, and Batas Langit by Mohamed Latiff Mohamed - were selected for this initiative, and readers were encouraged to get together for book discussions. I am especially delighted that the Malay Language Council Singapore, together with Asas ’50, Mediacorp’s Warna 94.2 and Suria as well as Berita Harian; supported this initiative.
    
    

    Challenges Ahead

11. Our roots take us back to the past, but our aspirations are in the future. Our writing should reflect our rich cultural heritage but be forward-looking to address the issues of today and tomorrow. Moving ahead, Malay writing will need to reach out to more readers in Singapore and those beyond our shores. I have no doubt that our young and budding writers have what it takes to excel. Technology has opened up many opportunities. Considered to be a new form of literature, blogging is a case in point.
12. To have outstanding writers is by no means sufficient. The publishing industry must do its part to translate Malay writing into other languages so that all Singaporeans and other book lovers around the world can enjoy and appreciate the beauty of Malay writing and culture. Publishers can count on the support of the National Arts Council, which provides grants for translating and publishing suitable literary works into our four official languages. Such efforts will be critical for us to achieve our vision to be a Global City for the Arts.
    
    

    Concluding Remarks

13. It leaves me to congratulate the Malay Language Council Singapore for successfully organising the 7 th Malay Literary Awards. My congratulations also go out to all award winners. Your passion and love for writing is an inspiration for us all.
14. Thank you.