UNITING TO PROMOTE NUSANTARA MANUSCRIPTS

From Nur Khalidah Abdul Halim

JAKARTA, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Seminars to uphold the importance of Nusantara manuscripts will continue to be held periodically, focusing on content that can be produced from such scripts in cooperation with book publishers participating in the programme, according to the Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM).

ITBM chief executive officer Sakri Abdullah said in addition to focusing on collaboration between local and foreign publishers, he plans to expand such seminars in ASEAN countries to internationalise the archipelago's manuscripts.

"We plan to hold this seminar once or twice a year. The first one was held in Jakarta, the next in Kuala Lumpur, and we will look for synergistic partners in Singapore, Brunei, or the Philippines.

"This also provides motivation to all parties to publish works from ancient manuscripts, instead of leaving the responsibility to a particular country," he said.

Sakri said this in the 'Benda Boleh Gaduh? Kenapa Bincang' podcast at the Jakarta Library and HB Jassin Literary Document Centre here yesterday.

The programme, which discussed the topic "Manuskrip Nusantara-Jom Manfaatkan, Tanggungjawab Bersama", also featured Diki Lukman Hakim, the head of the Jakarta Library Management Unit and HB Jassin Literary Document Centre, as a panel member.

The 17th episode of the podcast was part of the Nusantara Manuscript Internationalisation Seminar, which was held on Sept 25. The seminar was held during the five-day Indonesian International Book Fair (IIBF) 2024, which ends on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Diki views the seminar as a start to create a common awareness of the need to work together in dignifying the archipelago's manuscripts, especially between Malaysia and Indonesia.

He said the seminar's organisation could be expanded to the ASEAN level to deepen and unify the archipelago's manuscript trove. 

-- BERNAMA