While there are proponents who believe that Bahasa Malaysia should be made the official language of ASEAN, Malaysian prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants Yayasan Karyawan to promote Malay literature.

The call to make Bahasa Malaysia the official language of ASEAN is understandable as the language is spoken not only in Malaysia, but Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Southern Philippines and Southern Thailand.

Efforts must be made in this direction to spread the usage of Bahasa Malaysia and Datuk Anwar suggests that Malay literary masterpieces be made accessible in all schools, public universities and the relevant faculties.

Moreover, Datuk Anwar added that this initiative can be adapted and revitalized through the use of Artificial Intelligence or AI and the Malay Language Prize programme reintroduced at all school levels with corporate sponsors.

Datuk Anwar advised Yayasan Karyawan to preserve reference materials, boost promotional efforts and broaden the ownership of literary masterpieces for Malaysians and those overseas to enjoy and appreciate.

Yayasan Karyawan was established in 1996 to study and publish Malay literary masterpieces and those from the Malay world. The foundation also translates global literary masterpieces into Malay, conducts research and translates civilisational classics.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE