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Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

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For similar institution in Brunei, see Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei.

Institute of Language and Literature
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka or DBP
ديوان بهاس دان ڤوستاک‎
The seal of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Agency overview
Formed22 June 1956
Preceding agency
  • Balai Pustaka
TypeRegulating and co-ordinating Malay language and literature in Malaysia
JurisdictionMalaysia
HeadquartersDewan Bahasa and Pustaka tower, Jalan Dewan Bahasa, Bukit Petaling, 50460 Kuala Lumpur
Motto"Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa"
"Language Is the Soul of the Nation"
Employees900+
Annual budgetRM 60.52 million (2024)
Minister responsible
Deputy Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Dr. Mohd Anwar Rethwan, Chairman
  • Dr. Hazami Jahari, Director-General
Websitewww.dbp.gov.my
Footnotes
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka on Facebook

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (English: Institute of Language and Literature, Jawi: ديوان بهاس دان ڤوستاک‎), abbreviated DBP, is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language and Malay-language literature in Malaysia.

History

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DBP Malaysia was established as Balai Pustaka in Johor Bahru on 22 June 1956,[1] It was placed under the purview of the then Malayan Ministry of Education.

During the Kongres Bahasa dan Persuratan Melayu III (The Third Malay Literary and Language Congress) which was held between 16 and 21 September 1956 in both Singapore and Johor Bahru, Balai Pustaka was renamed Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. Royal Prof Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid was instrumental in setting up the institution.

In 1957, DBP moved from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur.[2] Through Ordinan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka 1959, DBP was granted a charter with its own Board of Governors. With the charter, DBP has the power to form policies regarding the Malay language, responsible to spread the language and is able to go into book publishing business.

On 31 January 1962, DBP moved to its own building at Jalan Lapangan Terbang Lama (now Jalan Dewan Bahasa). The building's architect was Lee Yoon Thim and the prominent mural was by Ismail Mustam. Three other offices were established in Bukit Mertajam (1999), Kota Bharu (1999) and Johor Bahru (2003). The institution celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006.

Takeover of Borneo Literature Bureau

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Main article: National Culture Policy

Not long after the World War II 1940s to late 1960s, Crown officials of Sarawak founded the Borneo Literature Bureau (BLB) responsible for collecting and writing down the oral literature of many indigenous Bornean languages, Iban especially.[3] Such efforts bolstered a sense of pride as it also lead to explorations of native philosophy and epistemology.[4]

DBP opened offices in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in 1977, taking over the role of BLB. Soon after that, there were witness accounts of DBP burying all BLB published books; however, some books were found and rescued. It was later alleged that all the books were burnt. Initially, DBP officials insisted on publishing works in national language (Malay language) or other vernaculars. However, soon after that DBP stated that they cannot publish books in regional languages because this would be against its own policy and is not economically sound in a small market of readers.[5] Regarding the allegation that books of BLB were burnt, former Sarawak state DBP deputy director said that old books were written off or given away when it was expired, no longer needed, or there were overstocks.[6]

Dictionary and other publications

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Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka kiosk at PBAKL 2023.

DBP publishes the Kamus Dewan, for many years the prestigious dictionary of the Malaysian national language. The dictionary is not only descriptive, but rather it is also prescriptive, as it represents the results of the efforts of DBP to adapt the Malay language to accommodate the challenges of technology and science. DBP's role in developing and regulating the language may be likened to that of similar government bodies in other countries, for example the Académie Française.

It also processes many books, mainly work books and novels.

References

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  1. ^ Shuhaini Aznam (25 June 2006). "Guardian of the Malay Language". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 12 October 2007.
  2. ^ Federation of Malaya Report. The Stationery Office. 1957. p. 276.
  3. ^ Tawai, Jimbun A. (1998). "Iban mother tongue education". In Kia Soong (ed.). Mother Tongue Education of Malaysia Ethnic Minorities. Kuala Lumpur: Dong Jiao Zong Higher Learning Center. pp. 100–113.
  4. ^ Postill, John (2008). "he mediated production of ethnicity and nationalism among the Iban of Sarawak, 1953-1976". In Zawawi Ibrahim (ed.). Representation, Identity and Multiculturalism in Sarawak. Dayak Cultural Foundation and Persatuan Sains Social Malaysia. pp. 195–228.
  5. ^ Postill, John (2006). Media and Nation Building: How the Iban became Malaysian. Berghahn Books. pp. 59–. ISBN 978-0-85745-687-8.
  6. ^ Edward, Churchill (11 March 2022). "Proposal to revive Borneo Literature Bureau gets former DBP man's support". The Borneo Post. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
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