Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Malay for The Institute of Language and Literature) (abbreviated DBP) is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language in Malaysia and Brunei.

History

DBP Malaysia was established as Balai Pustaka in Johor Bahru on 22 June 1956, ^[1] while DBP Brunei was established in the 1960s. 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 September 16 and 21, 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. 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 January 31 1962, DBP moved to its own building at Jalan Lapangan Terbang Lama (now Jalan Dewan Bahasa). In 1963, it opened an office in Brunei and later in 1977, it opened two offices in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Three other offices were established in Bukit Mertajam (1999), Kota Bahru (1999) and Johor Bahru (2003).

The institution celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. DBP also producing many talented novel writers. Most outstanding DBP novel writers are Miss Siti Habsah Abdullah, Mrs. Malardevi Margamuthu, and Mr.Syed Satahkatulah Bin Mohamed Kalik.

Dictionary and other publications

DBP publishes the Kamus Dewan, for many years the prestige 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

1. ^ Shuhaini Aznam. Guardian of the Malay Language. The Star. June 25, 2006

External links

• DBP Malaysia
• DBP Brunei