KOTA SAMARAHAN: The preservation and propagation of the diverse indigenous languages across Sarawak, Sabah, and the Borneo region is crucial in enriching and empowering the national language.
In stating this, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Malaysia director-general Hazami Jahari affirmed DBP’s commitment in conserving and documenting the indigenous language within the Borneo region.
“Lexicon such as ‘jerayawara’, ‘ruai’, ‘randau’, and ‘merarau’, are words that came from ethnic tribal languages in Sabah and Sarawak which have now become part of the Malay vocabulary, and their use is cascading.
“Through activities such as language research, compilation of dictionaries, publication of word lists, we aim to preserve indigenous and ethnic languages in Sabah and Sarawak.”
He made these remarks during the closing ceremony of the 2023 Borneo Lexicology and Lexicography International Conference (PALBORNEO 2023) at Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra (DeTAR), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here on Thursday (Oct 26).
Additionally, Hazami revealed that a total of 43 local and international papers have been presented in this conference to discuss important issues about research and efforts to document the ethnic languages found in Borneo and Kalimantan.
He also expressed hopes that with the publication of the Melayu Sarawak – Melayu Dewan dictionary, it can be used as a community reference, and the uniqueness and richness of one of the indigenous languages in this country can be preserved.
Also in attendance were Unimas Faculty of Education, Language and Communication dean Dr Ambigapathy Pandian; DBP Sarawak Branch director Abang Haliman Abang Julai; DBP Sabah Branch director Aminah Awang Besar; and Unimas deputy vice chancellor of research and innovation Dr Siti Noor Linda Taib.
