Evolusi Bahasa Melayu

Evolution of Malay Language : 2000 Years

Asas ‘50 Press2009

Editor

Sub-Editor

Researcher

Asst. Researcher

Copywriter

Designer

Illustrator

Mohamed Pitchay Gani BMAAMuhammad Jailani Abu Talib

Siti Raudhah Salleh

Mohamed Pitchay Gani BMAA

Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib

Muhammad Herwanto Johari

Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib

Amelia Pitchay

Copyright : Asas ‘50 Press

Layout and Formatting : Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib

Published by Asas ‘50 Press, Singapore, www.asas50.com

Asas ‘50 Press disclaims all liability and responsibility for any loss caused to anyperson by any act or omission due to the material contained in this publication.

©2009 Asas ‘50 Press, SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of thepublisher, Asas ‘50 Press, Singapore.

ContentsPreface

Introduction

Background

Directory Map of Exhibition

Evolution of Malay Language Chart

Map of Nusantara

Chapter One : Prehistoric Malay Language

Chapter Two : Ancient Malay Language

Chapter Three : Classical Malay Language

Chapter Four : Baba Malay Language

Chapter Five : Modern Malay Language

Chapter Six : SITC Malay Language

Chapter Seven : Bahasa Indonesia

Chapter Eight : Contemporary Malay Language

Chapter Nine : Internet Malay Language

Notes

Bibliography

Biography of Researcher

Acknowledgements

Angkatan Sasterawan ‘50

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P r e f a c e

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There is an approximate 300 million speakers of the Malay language, thus making it the fourth biggestlanguage in the world by virtue of the pool of speakers. It was also previously reported that there isan approximate 70,000 Malay language speakers in Sri Lanka whereas there is a radio channel inChina based in Malay language. The importance of the Malay language as one of the biggestlanguages in the world is further emphasized through the engagement of Malay studies componentsand programmes taught in various universities in United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia,Holland, China, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia among others. The Malaylanguage language is also recognised as the national language of four important Southeast Asiannations including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.

However, though it currently stands as one of the more important languages of the world, theassured development of the language can only be made possible through constant research on thesubject to promote an increased awareness. Of this, while various researches have been done beforeon the various types and variations of the Malay language, Mohamed Pitchay Gani’s research wasthe first of its kind to document and observe the morphological and syntactic structure of the Malaylanguage on the internet. Essentially, this publication was adapted from Mohamed Pitchay Gani’sMasters thesis research on the subject of E-culture & The Evolution of The Malay Language made inNanyang Technological University, Singapore. Undeniably, due to its limited nature, the book cannotprovide much more than a few snippets of the history of the Malay language and it would beencouraged for readers to read the original thesis in order to have a better understanding of thesubject discussed. Despite that however, the book is a much needed resource on the history anddevelopments of the Malay language and contains a wealth of information on the 2000 year oldhistory of the Malay language from the earliest stone inscriptions to it’s current development as amodern language heavily used on the internet.

The chapters of this book are diachronically arranged into nine main chapters, spanning throughthe six stages of linguistic evolution of the Malay language as proposed by the researcher. The bookdocuments the nuances that led to the evolution between the Prehistoric Malay language, AncientMalay language, Classic Malay language, Modern Malay language, SITC Malay language, BahasaIndonesia and the Internet Malay language. The book dwells on the subject of the Internet as amedium of promoting linguistic awareness amongst users and strengthens the notion of the cyber agebeing a phase that could be further exploited to benefit the development of language. As opposedto the views held by purists, Mohamed Pitchay Gani’s research provides a radically differing view pointand embraces the presence of an e-culture.

It is with little doubt therefore that the publication of this book marks a landmark initiative ofAsas 50 as a leading institute of promoting active use of Malay language. This publication is a testamentof Asas 50’s progressive attitude towards the preservation of Singapore’s national language.

Muhammad Jailani Abu TalibPresidentMalay Language Society, University of MalayaKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Introduction

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The Malay language has undergone a comprehensive development spanning 2000 years beginningfrom Prehistoric Malay, which consisted of a limited vocabulary 157 word collection, to one which isnow standing at approximately 200,000.

The transformation towards Ancient Malay was initiated by the influence of Sanskrit during the7th Century and continued to evolve into the Classical Malay language within the 12th to 19th century.The massive infusion of Arabic lexiconography was catalysed by the move of the Malay royals andtheir loyal following to embrace Islam as their collective religion. This fervent shift towards the Arabicinfluence proved to mark a timely displacement of the Sanskrit language as the latter was widelyregarded as relatively exclusive and geared towards the intelligentsia and nobles as opposed tosuitably serving the needs of the masses.

The growing presence of Islam also smoothed the path of acceptance of the Arabic languagewithin the masses. This Classic Period, which is considered as the longest spanning in the history of theevolution of the Malay language also witnessed the peripheral evolution of the Bintan-Tumasik Malaylanguage, Riau Malay language, Malacca Malay language, Johor Malay language and Baba Malaylanguage. The Modern Malay language is regarded as the third stage of its very evolution whichencompassed the birth of the Johor-Riau Malay version whereby classic sentences were first introduced.

The landscape was redrawn with the rise of the SITC Malay language, a newly formed entitywhich brought about a clear demarcation between Classic Malay and Riau Malay and the Modernversion that is in use till today. The advent of Za’ba’s grammar publication in 1936 entitled Pelita Bahasawas instrumental in precipitating this archetypal shift.

The vastly superior numerical advantage of Indonesian Malay speakers meant that theemergence of the Indonesian language, the Bahasa Indonesia, was likewise an inevitable outcome.Colonial influences also saw to it that the assimilation of Dutch and English influences compoundedthe proliferation of myriad regional languages and dialects in Malaya and Indonesia. This resulted inthe creation of the Indonesian language, an amalgamation of what is fundamentally Malay inlanguage and Indonesian by culture.

The contemporary age is witness to the latest development of the Malay language with theonset of the e-culture or the electronic culture era, specifically the internet. The efflorescence of thevariations of the Malay language derived from the synthesis of verbal language and the written wordis testimony to a revolutionary communicative culture that promises to both enthrall and invogoratethe cyber community.

Mohamed Pitchay Gani Bin Mohamed Abdul AzizLecturerNational Institute of EducationNanyang Technological University

Background

The Malay Language Situation in Singapore

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The Malay language forms one of the four official languages of Singapore and regarded as its nationallanguage. The national language status is reflected in article 153A of the constitution. Despite thishowever, Malay language has been a dominant language in the Malay archipelago prior to Singapore’sindependence in 1965. In that respect, the development of the language was similar to the developmentsfaced in Malaysia and other parts of the Malay region. The language situation however began toface various differences with the formation of Malaysia in 1963. The differing language policies coupledwith the effects brought about by globalization resulted in changes to the language’s lexical structureand semantic. This change can be attributed to several factors, namely; contemporary trends anddevelopments, government policies on language and the governance of the language. The media,with their stand on language pragmatism, influence of foreign languages and the attitude ofSingaporeans towards the status, role and importance of the language further impacted the significanceof the language.

Intergenerational Language Transmission

Malay language is spoken, in most contexts, by all generations with unbroken intergenerationaltransmission. However, bilingualism has made English the more preferred language in communicationespecially among the younger generations; be it at home or in schools and at work. In fact grandparentsare no longer a viable source of language retention because they too may have to adjust to currenttrends in language acquisition among the younger generations. With more and more parents working,maids mainly Indonesian is deemed as the next viable source of language acquisition because theyspend the most time with the children. Mixed marriages too affect the transmission of Malay languageto the next generation. Despite the drawbacks, Malay language is notably still safe in the sense thatit is continuously used with unbroken intergenerational transmission in spite of being threatened bybilingualism and changing trend in parenthood and family tree.

Absolute Number of Speakers

In Singapore, the Malay speaking population constitutes approximately 13.9% of the population in2005 but gradually reduced to 13.7% in 2007. It is a small group of people that is exposed to influx ofcontemporary influences. However, with the rising numbers of immigrants in the community, theproportion of the Malays will be further reduced. In addition, mixed marriages and change in attitudeaffect the vulnerability of Malay language with more and more of the new generation speaking Englishlanguage at home and in social networks and religious enclaves. In a survey in 2004 among the primaryone cohort (7 year old students) by the Ministry of Education, it was found that 60% of the Malaystudents with at least one graduate parent spoke English at home. Consequently, with the numberof graduates among the Malay population on the rise, the number of absolute speakers may dwindle.In a household survey done by the Singapore Statistics Department, the number of Malays using Malaylanguage at home dropped from 91.6% in 2000 to 86.8% in 2005. This proves that Malay language isbeing less favoured. Nevertheless, Malay is widely spoken by the Indian Muslims as well. Attempts arealso being made to ameliorate the status of the Malay language. In schools they are many non-Malaystaking up Malay language instead of their mother tongue as well as taking up Malay as an additional

Background

viii

subject. Employers too are taking up conversational Malay to facilitate conversations with theirIndonesian maids. However, 425,000 speakers as compared to about 4.8 million residents is a far toosmall figure. This statistic is barely 15% and the number will decrease further over time. Thus, the potentialof the language losing its traditional enclaves will soon be a reality.

Trends in Existing Language Domains

English is the main language of communication in every aspect of life, primarily in most official domains:government, public offices, and educational institutions. English is the integral to a number of publicdomains, especially in traditional religious institutions, organizations, and places where members ofthe community congregate and socialize. The common use of English in communication over timehas resulted in English and Malay languages being used for different functions. Malay language isused in informal and home contexts whereas the dominant language, English, is used in official andpublic contexts. However, the older generation still uses the language significantly. Hence, it can beconcluded that there is a multilingual parity in the existing language domains because two languagesare used in most social domains and for most functions. This evokes code switching and lax in attitudetowards the non-dominant language; Malay language for this instance. The preference in using Singlishfurther aggravates the problem and casts a drop in Malay language users.

Response to New Domains and Media

Malay language still prevails in the new domains and media as Singapore promotes multiculturalism.However, due to its limitation as it encompasses the minority population, the amount of materials insuch new domains and media is also affected. For example, the number of Malay books in nationallibraries across Singapore in 2007 is 631,000 as compared to 5.279 million for English. There is only 1Malay language newspaper with circulation of 61,946 as compared to 9 English newspapers withcirculation of 877, 4727. In the area of education, the curriculum hours set for the learning of Malaylanguage is 4-5 hours a week as compared to 35 hours at average for subjects which use English asinstructional language. Though Malay language enjoys the same broadcasting time for radio, thereis only 2 Malay radio channels as compared to 14 for English, with one of the Malay radio channelsbeing bilingual. In addition, the sole Malay television channel only has 8 hours of television airtime ascompared to 24 hours for English channel, which has 10 channels in all. Despite the increase in Internetusage from 36% (2000) to 61% (2005) and increase in computer users from 49% (2000) to 65% (2005),the statistics do not commensurate with the multimedia applications available in Malay language asevident through the lack of software in Malay for education and gaming. Though Malay languageis used in most of the new domains and media, its usage is relatively limited as compared to that ofEnglish. As such, the Malay language network should be steered towards making it dynamic andforegoing.

Background

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Materials for Language Education and Literacy

There are extensive and comprehensive grammar texts, linguistic fundamentals, reference books anddictionaries available for users; indicating a constant flow of language materials. Abundant annotatedhigh-quality audio and video recordings are also made available. The main sources of materials forMalay language are Indonesia and Malaysia in terms of grammar development as well as creativeworks. There are also local publications of creative works. The television and radio, for instance, provideeducational and language materials to a certain extent; be it directly or indirectly. As such, it can beconcluded that materials for Malay language is widely available whether in print or electronic form.However, the quality of the materials and the standard of the language used may need to bescrutinized to ensure that the materials are deemed relevant and appropriate for reference.

Governmental and Institutional Language Attitudes and Policies

The government is very supportive of the development of mother tongue language in Singaporethrough its education policy. Malay language is a compulsory subject in primary and secondaryschools along with Mandarin and Tamil language. Such support is also prevalent through governmentalinstitutions such as National Arts Council that provides grants for literary arts activities for the Malaycommunity. This is indubitably subjected to the initiatives of the Malays themselves to make use of thegrants provided. In many occasions, sporadic non-governmental organizations would initiate the movefor the grants application and conducting of activities that would spur the Malay language. In fact,the Malay language Month and the Malay Literary Award held one after another once every 2 yearsreflects government support through grants allocated to the Malay Language Council Singapore(MBMS).

Conclusion

The maintenance and promotion of the non-dominant languages may be dictated by the dominantlinguistic culture, namely Mandarin language at national level. It has often been argued that the otherlanguages, Malay and Tamil, pale in comparison with Mandarin. Currently, English is still the dominantlanguage which emerges as the linguistic ideology of the state, and in turn inspire the Malay linguisticminorities to mobilize its population towards the maintenance of the language. However, the effortsinitiated are seemingly among those involved directly with the language, namely educators andactivists, while others may find it an insignificant endeavor. National policy has in any case a directimpact on the language attitude of the community itself. It can be reckoned that Malay languageis not seen as distinguished nor distinctive even though it is the national language of Singapore. Forminga small component of the mother tongue system applied in Singapore’s education system, the existenceof the Malay language is interdependent on the policies set out by the government on all the othermother tongue languages.

Directory Map

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A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

A6

A1 - Evolution of Malay Language ChartA2 - Map of NusantaraA3 - Origin of Malay Language - Bintan-Tumasik Malay LanguageA4 - Malaccan Malay Language - Baba Malay LanguageA5 - SITC Malay Language - Bahasa IndonesiaA6 - Internet Malay Language

Malay Language Evolution Chart

Johore-Riau DialectModern Malay Language

Prehistoric Malay Language (Origin)

Austris Family

Austroasian Family Austronesian Family China-Tibet Family

West Malay Archipelago Family(Malay Region)

East Malenesian ArchipelagoFamily

Polynesian Family(New Zealand)(Irian and Carolina Islands)

Ancient Malay Central Malay Language

Classic Malay Language

Bahasa Indonesia Bahasa Melayu

Malay Dialects

2

S u m a t r aJava

Borneo

Saraw

ak

SabahPeninsulaM

alaysia

Malacca

Singapore

Riau IslandsCelebes

Batavia

Map of Nusantara

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Indonesia

South China Sea

Cambodia

Thailand

Philippines

Brunei

Prehistoric Malay Language

The earliest Malay Language was known as Prehistoric Malay. It consisted of an approximatecollection of 157 Austronesian words. The words below are examples of the terms foundin the Kedukan Bukit Inscription.

Prehistoric Modern

nayik naiksamvau sampanmengalap menghadapvulan bulandari dariyang yangdua dualaksa sepuluh ribuko kevala bala/tentera

Prehistoric Modern

dua ratus dua ratusdangan denganmamava membawasarivu seribusapulu sepuluhtlu telu/tigavanakna banyaknyadi didatang datangmarvuat membuatvanua benua/negeri

4

Kedukan Bukit Stone Inscriptions (7th century)

English

rise/boardsampanto facemoonfrom-twoten thousandtoarmy

English

two hundredwithto bringthousandtenthreemuch/manyatcometo makecountry/region

Ancient Malay Language

The Malay language underwent its first evolution when it accepted Sanskritinfluences which eventually transformed it’s status from Prehistoric to Ancientin the 7th Century.

The establishment of the Srivijayan kingdom with its vast empire includingMalaya, Ceylon, Borneo, Celebes, Philippines, parts of Formosa (Taiwan) withadded rights on Cambodia and Champa was a major contributing factorleading to the development of the Malay language as the lingua francathroughout the whole archipelago. The earliest transcripts of Prehistoric Malayas illustrated on the Talang Tuwo stone inscription, dated 678 A.D, showedthat the Malay language has started to imbibe Sanskrit influences. (bolditalics in Prehistoric Malay language)

“di assannakala di antara margalai temu muweah ya ahara

dngan ayer diminumnyasawanyaknya wuatnya huma

pariak mancak muwah yamenghidupi pasu prakara

marhulun tuwi werddhimuwah ya jangan ya nikenaisawanyaknya yang upasarga

pidana swapnawigna.”

The influence of Sanskritbrought about a linguistic evolution which can beobserved on the Pagar Ruyung, Sumatra stone inscription of 1356 A.D. ,written in Indian characters. It was oberved :

This stage marked a substantial shift in the evolution of the Malay languageas an agglutinative language with the inclusion of affixes. The basis of thischange could be attributed to the wider range of Sanskrit vocabulary whichwas crucial in forming a more structured and expansive references, andexplanations as compared to the limited vocabulary of Prehistoric Malay.

the word tida became tyada,the frontal prefix of mar and ni became ber and di,

marvuat became berbuatniparvuat became diperbuat

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Gold statue of Avalokiteshvara from theMelayu-Srivijaya era (8th century)

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Classic Malay LanguageSecond Evolution (12th to 19th Century)

The second evolution of the Malay language began with the infusion of Arabic vocabulary intothe Malay language. The 12th to 19th century was renowned as the illustrious ruling era of theMalay kingdom and notably the longest in the history of the development of the languagespanning 700 years.

The post Srivijaya era, known as Bintan-Tumasik is regarded as the transition period between theAncient Malay language and the Classic language. This is backed by the evidentiary MinyeTujoh, Acheh tombstone dated 1350 whereby the growing influence of the Arab languagebegan to stamp its mark over the Ancient Malay language. The text in bold below shows theusage of Arabic words.

Bintan-Tumasik Malay Language(12th to 19th Century)

“hijrat nabi mungstapa yang prasidatujuh ratus asta puluh sawarsahaji catur dan dasa wara sukra

raja iman warda (?) rahmat-Allahgutra barubasa mpu hak kadah pase ma

taruk tasih tanah samuhailahi ya rabbi tuhan samuha

taruh dalam swarga tuhan tatuha.”

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Minye Tujoh, Acheh tombstone (14th century)

2

Classical Malay LanguageSecond Evolution (12th to 19th Century)

Malaccan Malay Language(14th to 15th Century)

The second evolution remains the single biggest leap towards a civilised language that contributedtowards the creation of Modern Malay language and the Johore-Riau dialect. The usage ofArabic terminology was prevalent especially on the Kuala Berang inscription in Terengganu dated1303 A.D and 1397 A.D. The Arabic-Malay combination gradually reduced Sanskrit’s influence.Below is a sample of the text :

“Rasul Allah dengan orang... bagi mereka...ada pada Dewata Mulia Raya beri hamba meneguhkanagama Islam dengan benar bicara derma meraksa bagi

sekalian hamba Dewata Mulia Raya di benuaku ini penentuagama Rasul Allah Salla'llahu'alaihiwa Sallama Raja mandalika

yang benar bicara sebelah Dewata Mutia Raya di dalarn”

The development of the Ancient Malay language ceased in the 11th century. An exampleof the Classic Malay language is as follows :

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Malaccan Palace (15th century)

3

Ancient

adapunajabayapanberahiberkenanbersiramgeringbetarainderaloka

English

aboutdailyfoodlovea g r e eb a t h epainkingheaven

Classic

perihalharianmakanancintasetujumandisakitrajasyurga

Classical Malay LanguageSecond Evolution (12th to 19th Century)

Johore Malay Language(16th to 17th Century)

8

The following era highlighted the burgeoning maturity of the Malay language which led to thecreation of the Johor-Riau dialect, a combination of the Riau Malay language and Johore dialect.Its potential was further augmented and recognised when it was chosen to be the standardlanguage used by Radio Malaya and Radio Television Malaysia. The following is an excerpt fromSultan Abu Hayat, king of Ternate’s letter, written in Johore Malay language :

“...Kemudian daripada itu adapun Kapitan Pedro Villaumont Gardin itu, iasinggah ke Terengganu mendapatkan beta, hendak bersahabat denganbeta, hendak berniaga dalam Terengganu. Inilah maka beta memberi suratkepada Louis Quinze Roi de France et de Navarre, kalau hendak berniagadalam Terengganu, barang dagangan yang ada dalam Terengganu itubeta tolong carikan. Kemudian dari itu jikalau ada kasih serta tolong LouisQuinze Roi de France et de Navarre akan beta, minta tolong barang yangketidakan kepada beta seperti bedil dan ubat bedil dan peluru...”

The Riau-Lingga governing period of 200 years acted as a catalyst for the dissemination andtransmission of the Johore-Riau Malay language within the archipelago and other areas. This periodwas instrumental in inculcating the ‘Riau value’ within the Malay language in its rise towards itsexalted status as the National Language of Indonesia, a direct culmination of Sumpah Pemuda in1928. This was only made possible through its widespread usage in writings and as the lingua francaof the archipelago. The fol lowing is a sample of a Johore-Riau Malay text:

Johore-Riau Malay Language(17th to 19th Century)

‘…Arakian maka adalah barang siapa raja2 Inggeris yang diam di Singapura atau Melaka atauPulau Pinang yang biasa mendapat surat2 kiriman daripada raja2 Melayu atau orang Melayu,maka selalu dilepaskannya puji2ian yang dalam surat itu sebab diketahuinya tiada bergunaadanya, melainkan dicarinya perkataan isi surat itu yang di bawah sahaja, hanya hilanglah danterbuang penat telah orang yang menyurat itu sahaja. Sebermula jikalau dalam setahun berpuluh2surat yang dikirimkan oleh seorang raja itu [h.58] niscaya terlalulah banyak hilang pekerjaan dancuma(2) penat lelah terbuang adanya. Karena suatupun dalam segala puji2ian itu orang Eropahitu tiada ingin membaca atau orang yang berakal baik barang bangsa pun akan surat yangdemikian (itu)...”

Letter of Sultan Abu Hayat Ternate1522 A.D

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5

Baba Malay Language

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The Baba Malay language was yet another development precipitated by the secondevolution of the Malay language, a development effected by the infusion of the Chineselanguage into the Malay vocabulary despite being relatively limited in its usage. Some ofthe Chinese words which were absorbed into the Malay vocabulary are dacing, kuntau,kongsi, loteng, tongkong, toge, tauco, toke, mi, teko, tahu and sampan.

This infusion which led to the creation of yet another new offshoot in the 15th century hadproduced a further modification of selected Malay words such as munda (muda), mungka(muka), pinjak (pijak) dan sendawa (sedawa). The meanings of certain Malay terms are alsoaugmented when used within the Baba Malay context.

Baba Malay Meaning in Malay Meaning in Baba Malay

rezeki income or basic necessity fortune or good luckbenua vast swathe of land complete astonishmentsekarang right this moment later

Kou Chey Tian (Monkey), translated intoBaba Malay language

Modern Malay LanguageThird Evolution (15th to 19th Century)

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The third evolution of the Malay language was borne out of western influences such asPortuguese (1511), Dutch (1614) and English (1824).

Portuguese influence: ‘baldi (pail), beranda (veranda), bangku (stool), bola (ball), bomba(firefighter), dadu (dice), garpu (fork), gereja (church), jendela (window), kemeja (shirt),keju (cheese), meja (table), merinyu (auxillary police), rnentega (butter), mandur (supervisor),minggu (week), lampu (light), lelong (sale), paderi (clergyman), peluru (bullet), pita(cassette), palsu (fake), pidato (speech), roda (wheel), sepatu (shoe), sekolah (school),tuala (towel).’

Dutch influence: ‘dam (draughts), duit (money), kamar(room), kantor (office), laci (drawer), petekat (CordiaDichotoma), persen (percent), pelesir (jolly) dan senapang(rifle).’

English influence: ‘audit (audit), botol (bottle), bil (bill),buku (book), brek (brake), bas (bus), basikal (bicycle),diploma (diploma), drebar (driver), elaun (allowance),enjin (engine), gelas (glass), gabenor (governor), geran(grant), hotel (hotel), kopi (coffee), kolej (college), kelas(class), lesen (license), lori (lorry), motokar (motorcar),mesin (machine), mancis (match), opera (opera), pin(pin), pensel (pencil), pencen (pension), pas (pass), resit(receipt).’

Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles

SITC Malay LanguageFourth Evolution (19th Century)

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The establishment of Sultan Idris Training College (SITC) at Tanjung Malim in 1922 brought abouta maturing form of the Riau Malay language. It eventually gave birth to the presence ofModern Malay language; the grammar publication of Za’ba’s Pelita Bahasa in 1936 being itscatalyst. SITC Malay took on a more active format as compared to Riau Malay. Below is acomparison of both.

RIAU

antukendapambiknasikmaknusiakecikogot

SITC LANGUAGE

Si Umar datang kepadaku tetapi si Zahidtidak

Si Zahid menanggung hutang.

Umar telah memukul si Zahid.

Pada hari Jumaat, aku duduk di masjid,di belakang raja.

RIAU LANGUAGE

Tiada akan datang kepadaku si Zahidtetapi si Umar datang.

Si Zahid di atasnya hutang.

Telah memukul oleh si Umar akan Zahid.

Duduk aku akan masjid akan hari Jumaat;duduk aku di belakang

SITC

kantuk > mengantukhendap> mengendapambil > mengambilnasimanusiakecilugut > mengugut, terugut

Pengetahuan Suloh Budiman

Pendeta Za’ba,author of PelitaBahasa

Official logo ofSultan Idris Training College (SITC)

English

sleepypeeptakericemansmallthreaten

Bahasa IndonesiaFifth Evolution (19th Century)

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The Modern Malay language also witnessed the dawning of the Indonesian language, arepercussion of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty in 1824 which divided the Malay archipelago betweenthe spheres of influence of the Dutch and the British. The Malay language continued its selectiveintegration of terms from the colonial languages until 1928, when the terms for the Indonesianlanguage were hereby formed. The following are some examples of the differences in terms.

fiksik o n v e n s itelevisifakultaskualitasuniversitas

Affixed Terminology

Bas Relief depicting the political cycle ofIndonesia

Indonesian

sopirmesinbanketikkarcissepedasore

TerminologyEnglish

drivermachinetyretypeticketbicycleafternoon

Malay

drebarenjintayartaiptiketbasikalpetang

Borrowed TerminologyIndonesian

apellistrikmusiko t o m a t i kp s i k o l o g itelepon

Malay

epalelektrikmuzikautomatikpsikologitelefon

English

appleelectricmusica u t o m a t i cpsychologyt e l e p h o n e

fiksyenkonvensyentelev isyenfakultikualitiuniversiti

fictionconvensiontelevisionfacultyqualityuniversity

Indonesian Wayang Kulit

Contemporary Malay Language(1930 - 2000)

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The fifth evolution played a crucial role as the main stimulus of Contemporary Malaylanguage in the century that followed. The usage of Classic Malay gradually diminished,displaced by that of English terminology which started at the beginning of this era. Beloware some examples chronicling the textual development over 100 years.

1933 ‘Dengan sa-imbas lalu di-menongkan nasib peruntongan bangsa kita padamasa ini telah nyata-lah bangsa kita sedang terghochoh2 berjalan bertatehmenapak ke-jalan kemajuan yang telah ditinggalkan berpuluh2 peratus mile...akantetapi waktu yang kita gunakan itu chuma 10 persen sahaja...’ (Majallah Guru)

1941 ‘Chuba-lah fikirkan sa-mula renchana di-dalam makalah pengarang MajallahGuru bulan April 1941. Ya, saya agak tujuan2 di dalam renchana itu saperti fundscholarship itu telah sampai masa-nya di-asaskan.’ (Majallah Guru)

1958 ‘...Tetapi ilmu pengetahuan baharu yang berasal daripada penyelidekan sa-saorang ahli science seperti ilmu2 tentang electric, bomb atom, kapal-terbangdll tidaklah termasok dalam kepandaian yang di-maksudkan dalam kebudayaan.’(Buku “Teras Kebudayaan Nasional”)

1964 ‘...Adalah diramalkan bahawa bentuk esei akan menchapai tingkat seni sasterayang lebeh di-sukai apabila esei2 berchorak sabjektif mengambil tempat yangbergaya objektif...Tetapi mereka maseh belum berani benar dan achapkalibersifat “non-commital” di-dalam masa mengarang esei2 yang mempunyai isiyang agak controversial.’ (Buku “Renongan”)

1972 ‘Muhammad Ali, bekas johan tinju heavyweight dunia, akan melawan DannyMcAlinden di-England dalam bulan Mei depan...demikian diumumkan olehPromoter British, Jack Solomons di-sini semalam.’ (Berita Harian 1 Januari)

1982 ‘...tulisan kreatif-imaginatif memerlukan penggunaan atau gaya bahasa yangkreatif dan imaginatif, iaitu bahasa yang memenuhi konsep foregrounding,mengandungi nilai-nilai estetik yang tinggi...’ (Buku “Simposium Dialek”)

1993 ‘Dalam suasana dominon Inggeris, tidak hairanlah masyarakat MelayuSingapura...bergantung kepada motivasi dan komitmen seseorang itu sendiriuntuk dan mendalami bahasa itu secara sedar.’ (Buku “Pesan”)

2003 ‘...kehadiran kata sebagai punca kreativiti atau pencapaian seni...keyakinan itubertukar menjadi sesuatu idealisme yang kuat...seorang politikus yang realis,pernah menjadi seorang yang begitu idealis.’ (Buku “Seminar Bahasa danSastera”)

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7

8

9

10

11

12

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Internet Malay LanguageSixth Evolution (20th Century)

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The developments over 2000 years have concocted what is known as the Internet Malay language,the last evolution which has taken place in the virtual realm. Major changes have been actualisedin terms of word, sentence and meaning as seen in the fol lowing examples.

The early stage began with the abbreviation of terms.

The intermediate stage brought about the assimilation of colloquial verbal language.

The next development showed an intentional distortion/diddification of pronounciation.

Internet Standard

tak tidak (no)saja sahaja (just)duk duduk (sit)gini begini (like this)gitu begitu (like that)mau mahu (want)reti mengerti (understand)

Internet Standard

amik ambil ( t a k e )antar hantar ( s e n d )bace baca ( r e a d )mane mana (where)same sama (same)kecik kecil (smal l )ape apa (what)hotak otak (brain)

Internet Standard

caye percaya (believe)camni macam ini (like this)camtu macam itu (l ike that)teypon telefon (telephone)keng-kawan kawan-kawan (friends)cedap sedap (nice)amik atti ambil hati (impress)pompan perempuan (female)mepek merepek (nonsense)

Internet Malay LanguageSixth Evolution (20th Century)

15

Internet Standard

seryuz serius (serious)lepaz lepas (after)wajibz wajib (compulsory)sayer saya (I)biler bila (when)kiter kita (we)nyer nya -

Modifications made as according to phonological structure

The conception of the Internet Malay language reached full advancement with the advent ofspecific terminology specially created for the Internet.

Internet Standard

om orang (person)ngan dengan (with)je sahaja (just)ur awak (you)lak pula -kerker ketawa kecil (chuckle)hmmm sedang berfikir (thinking)ha x 9999999 ketawa terbahak-bahak (laughing out loud)

The advent of symbolic representation as below:

Internet Meaning

:) smile:( sad smile:P cheeky smile:))) laughing:O shockedn end of conversation

Internet Malay LanguageSixth Evolution (20th Century)

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The following are sentences which have undergone structural modification for internetusage:

Internet Language Verbal Language

Korang kenal siti ker tak nie ? Kamu kenal siti atau tidak ?

Masok sekolah nanti kol brape ha? Engkau masuk sekolah pukul berapa, ha ?

Kimsalam kat budak2 tu ehh Engkau kirim salam dekat budak-dudak itu ya.

Air liurz startlah melilih time buka puasa. Air liur mulalah melilih pada masa buka puasa.

Baru nak mintak pic you dah nak out Baru minta gambar awak dah nak keluar

U werking ke ? Awak bekerja ke ?

I think I ever chat ngan u. Saya rasa saya pernah berbual dengan awak.

C ya (See you) Jumpa lagi

Me gtg (Me got to go) Saya perlu beredar

Oic (Oh! I see) Oh! Begitu

Me bf gone (Me boyfriend gone) Saya tiada lagi teman lelaki

Bsk skl tak Besok sekolah tak

jgn tel ku gi Jangan telefon aku lagi

bye Selamat tinggal

tk terima kasih

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Notes

1 A message from a ruler to his people. The inscription advises his majesty’s subjects to care for themselves.

2 The inscription on the tomb of Ratu Acheh documented the death of her majesty. “gutra barubasa mpu hak kadahpase ma” referred to the families who embraced Islam and governs Kedah and Pasai. The above can be reasoned withan understanding of Acheh being part of the Main Kingdom of Raja Siam (Müsli) Beruas Melayu Tua Gangga, NegaraKedah Pasai Ma Empire who appointed Sultans from its siblings to rule its territory and waters. Rulers of this Empire is knownas Shyah Alam Yang Maha Mul ia, descendants f rom the Pers ians and Siamese Musl im Empire.

3 The inscriptions are in Arabic - Malay believed to be written on the 22nd February 1303. Among the inscriptions onthe stone are the ten Islamic laws and their punishments.

4 An excerpt from a letter written by the king of Ternate for the king of Portugese. On the letter, he revealed importantinformations to the Portugese, such as political fluctuation that happened in the kingdom next to Ternate, Tidore kingdom.The king who wrote this letter, Sultan Abu Hayat, wrote the letter in Malay with the use of Jawi script.

5 A call made for the Malay kings, leaders and people to stop all activities of praising the Europeans.

6 “It can be observed, our society has slowly but steadily progressing to a better state of which we have left milesaway. .however, the time that we have used stands at only ten percent” (Majallah Guru)

7 “Think again of the article fitted in April 1941’s edition of Majallah Guru. Yes, I believe that it is time for a fundscholarship to be set up as suggested in the article” (Majallah Guru)

8 “But new knowledge rooted in the research of scientists such as the knowledge of electric, atomic bombs,aeroplanes and many others can not be included in the field of cultural study.” (Book, Teras Kebudayaan Kebangsaan)

9 “It is foreseen that essays would reach the level of the more favoured literature when subjective natured essaysreplace objective ones. But, they have not really dared and often has a “non-committal” attitude when he writes essaysthat are relatively controversial” (Book, Renongan)

10 “Muhammad Ali, former heavyweight boxing world champion would be fighting Danny McAlinden in England onnext Maya…that was the announcement made by British Promoter, Jack Solomons here yesterday.” (Berita Harian, 1 Januari1972)

11 “Creative-imaginative writings require the use or style of a creative and imaginative language, which is a languagethat fulfills the concept of foregrouding. It contains a high aesthetic value…” (Book, Simposium Dialek)

12 “In an English dominant environment, it is not surprising that the Malay community in Singapore…relies on personalmotivation and commitment to…and studies the language consciously.“ (Book, Pesan)

13 “The presence of words as a source of creativity or art achievement…confidence becomes a strong idealism..apolitician who is realistic, once becoming someone who is very idealistic. (Book, Seminar Bahasa dan Sastera)

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Bibliography

Abdullah Hassan. 1986. Penerbitan Kata dalam Bahasa Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan PustakaAmat Juhari Moain. 1996. Perancangan Bahasa : Sejarah Aksara Jawi. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan

Bahasa dan PustakaAsmah Hj Omar. 1992. Kajian dan Perkembangan bahasa Melayu. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka_______. 2008. Ensiklopedia Bahasa Melayu. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan PustakaDavid Crystal . 1993. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language . USA : Cambr idgeD.G.E Hall. 1955. A History of South-East Asia. London : MacmillanHaji Ibrahim Ismail . 1987. A Br ief History of Kedah. Kedah : Univers it i Utara MalaysiaIsmail Hussein. 1984. Sejarah Pertumbuhan Bahasa Kebangsaan Kita. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan

Bahasa dan PustakaJ.S. Badudu. 1980. Membina Bahasa Indonesia Baku 2. Bandung : Pustaka PrimaKoh Boh Boon. 1982. Pendidikan Imbuhan : Suatu Pengenalan. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa dan PustakaMohamed Pitchay Gani BMAA. 2002. Melayu Singapura dalam Kritikan – Isu Bahasa dan Bangsa. Singapura:

Angkatan Sasterawan 50._____. 2004. Tesis MA bertajuk E-Kultur dan Evolusi Bahasa Melayu. Singapura. Universiti Teknologi Nanyang_____. 2007. Evolusi 2000 Tahun Bahasa Melayu dari Zaman Purba ke Budaya Elektronik. Perak: Universiti

Pendidikan Sultan IdrisNik Safiah Karim 1986. Bahasa Melayu : Persoalan dan pergolakan. Kuala Lumpur : Gateway Publishing House

Sdn. Bhd.Muhammad Ariff Ahmad. 1992. Sejarah Perkembangan bahasa Melayu di Singapura. Kertas

kerja bagi bengkel “Sejarah Bahasa Melayu dari Pelbagai Kota” anjuran Dewan Bahasa dan Pustakandan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur.

Noriah Mohamed. 1998. Sosiolinguistik Bahasa Melayu Lama. Pulau Pinang: Universiti Sains Malaysia.Omar Amin Husin. 1962. Sejarah Bangsa dan Bahasa Melayu. Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka AntaraRaja Haji Mukhtaruddin Bin Raja Md Dain. 1976. Tesis PHD bertajuk Pembinaan Bahasa

Melayu – Satu Pengkajian Khusus Mengenai Perancangan Bahasa di Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur. UniversitiMalaya.

Sukaryditisna. 1962. Bahasa Dan Kebangsaan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan PustakaSulaiman Hj Noordin & Suzanah Abdullah. 1978. Teori Evolusi : Suatu Fakta atau Asas Ideologi. Kuala Lumpur.

Akademi Sains Islam Malaysia.Tham Seong Chee. 1990. A Study of the Evolution of the Malay Language : Social Change and Cognitive

Development. Singapore: Singapore University Press.Zabedah Awang Ngah. 1964. Antologi Esei Melayu Dalam Tahun 1924-1941. Kuala Lumpur : Dewan Bahasa

dan Pustaka.

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Biography of ResearcherMohamed Pitchay Gani Bin Mohd Abdul Aziz

Mohamed Pitchay received his Diploma in Education from National Institute ofEducation, Nanyang Technological University in 1992, Bachelor of Malay Studies from theAcademy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya in 1999, and Masters of Arts from NanyangTechnological University in 2004. He is currently pursuing PHD in the Faculty of Language andLinguistics University of Malaya in the area of language change – language vitality. Hisresearch paper recently received the “Best Conference Paper Award” by the InternationalJournal of Arts and Sciences in the American-Canadian Conference for Academic Disciplinein Toronto (2009). He is also the recipient of the Young Laureate Award in 2006 for hiscontributions in the area of Malay language and literature.

His credentials in Malay language teaching, learning and research span a widespectrum in the area of education, activism, organizations, and national mainstreammovements. He lectures and trains trainee teachers in the area of Malay studies andpedagogy in the National Institute of Education; runs post war national organization forwriters in language and literature (Angkatan Sasterawan ’50); resource person for Malaylanguage and literature for National Library Board, National Arts Council, National BookDevelopment Council Singapore, Mediacorp television and radio; honorary secretary of theMalay Language Council Singapore; member of the Malaysia-Brunei-Indonesia (MABBIM)executive committee for Malay language; resident writer Linguistic Journal Language andLiterary Agency of Brunei Darussalam; researcher and presenter in regional and internationalconferences on Language and literature; wide publications and editorship; initiator of newprogrammes for preservation and expansion of national heritage.

In the area of research, he pionereed the use of neo-Darwinian theory in linguistics,in the region, to investigate the mechanical and biological formation of morphologicalstructures in language. His contemporary research traces the 2000 years development ofMalay language in South-East Asia. His current research dwells in the area of language vitalitywhere he applied UNESCO’s framework in language vitality factors.

Mohamed Pitchay Gani Bin Mohamed Abdul Aziz is a lecturer with theNational Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. He iscoordinator for the Special Training Programme (Mother Tongue). He is alsothe President of Angkatan Sasterawan 50 (Writers’ Movement ‘50) and itsHead of Research and Development. He is a life member of the GoldenKey National Honor Society (USA). As an author, critic, language activistand resource person on issues and documents relating to the SingaporeMalays; he is involved in many national initiatives in the areas of languageand literature

AcknowledgementsThe Evolution of Malay Language : 2000 Years Project Committeeand The Malay Heritage Centre wishes to thank everyone involvedfor their invaluable contributions to the success of the project. Dueto the overwhelming support, the list is too long to name everyone,but special thanks go out to the following persons and organizations :

ResearcherMr. Mohd Pitchay Gani Bin Mohd Abdul Aziz

Assistant Researcher & Exhibition DesignerMr. Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib

ContributorsProf. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Asmah Haji OmarProf. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Mohd Taib OsmanProf. Dr. Bukhari LubisDr. Muhammad Ariff AhmadDrs. Masran SabranMr. Abdul Samat AliMs. Amelia PitchayMr. Juffri Supa’atMr. Khalid ShukorMs. Liyana TahaMr. Mohamed Latiff MohamedMr. Mazelan AnuarMr. Muhammad Herwanto JohariMs. Nirwana HalizaMr. Noorhaqmal Mohd. NoorMr. Nur Afifi Mohamed TaibMs. Nur WahidahMr. Yazid Hussein

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OrganizationsAngkatan Sasterawan ‘50 (Asas ‘50)Asas ‘50 Youth WingLee FoundationMalay Heritage CentreMinistry for Culture, Youth and SportsMinistry for Information, Communication & The ArtsNational Heritage BoardNational Arts CouncilIslamic Religious Council of SingaporeNational Institute of EducationNational Library BoardMalay Language Society, University of MalayaSultan Idris Education University, Malaysia

Special ThanksMr. Zainul Abidin Rasheed,Senior Minister of State,Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Aminah AyobVice-Chancellor,Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI),Perak

Mr. Eddy Noor Hassan,General Manager,Malay Heritage Centre

Ms. Seah Suat EngHead of Special Training Programme (MT),National Institute of Education,Nanyang Technological University

2021

The Writers' Movement '50 (Angkatan Sasterawan '50) or better known as Asas '50 is the first and oldest literaryassociation in post-war Malaya and the Malay region. Founded on 6th August 1950, Asas '50 represented thevoice of the community and utilizes literature as the ideal thrust towards the independence of Malaya in 1957.The association's philosophy of “Art For The Society” formed the shaped the developmental framework ofModern Malay literature. The literary body was pioneered by Muhammad Ariff Ahmad (MAS), KamaluddinMuhammad (Keris Mas), Abdul Wahab Muhammad (Awamil-Sirkam), Abdul Jalil Haji Nor (Merayu Rawan),Munir Ali (Rosmera), Kumasi Haji Dainuri (Teruna Jaya), Abdul Majid Husain (Hamzah), Masuri Salikun (MasuriS.N), Abu Yamin Kasun, Ahmad Ramli Abdul Karim (Ramlimah), Muhammad Daud and Muhammad YusofYaacob (Jim).

With a vision to become a dynamic institution of language and literature, Asas ’50 consistently honoursits mission to instill literary sense into the community through a series of seminars, courses, discourses, talks,competitions and awards. The materialisation of these concepts and events include Kongres Bahasa (LanguageCongress), Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara (Regional Literati Meet), Dialog Selatan (Southern Dialogue),Dialog Penulis (Dialogue Penulis), Hadiah Sastera (Literature Award), Seminar Pengajaran dan PembelajaranBahasa (Languge Teaching and Learning Seminar), Pertemuan Penulis Singapura (Singapore Writers’ Meet),Pertemuan Puisi Temasik (Temasik Poetry Meet), and Perkampungan Sastera (Literature Festival). Today, thereis a paradigm shift in initiating national oriented events on a more holistic level with the aim of nationalisingMalay literature in order for it to stay relevant and pragmatic. Asas ’50 reaches the society and schools throughvarious initiatives such as Community & School Outreach Programme and the employment of BPT : Belajar-Praktik-Terbit (Learn-Practise-Publish) through the various courses organised.

A historically significant contribution of Asas ’50 was in the romanisation of the Malay language. Withthe success of Kongres Bahasa ke-3 (Third Language Congress) in 1956, romanised texts were used extensivelyin Malay language atop the use of Jawi script in the region. In the 1970s, Asas ’50 initiated the Hadiah SasteraNow referred to as Anugerah Persuratan (Literature Award) and Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara (RegionalLiterati Meet). Today, Asas ’50 shapes the publishing trend of modern texts through the publication of landmarkinitiatives such as Leksikon : Direktori Penulis Singapura Pasca 1965 (Leksikon, Post 1965 Singapore WritersDirectory), Sanggan Budaya, collection of working papers for Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara ke-12 anda biography of Asas ’50, Dari Gerhana ke Puncak Purnama.

Asas ’50 is also one of the main reference resources for National Library Board, Singapore for variousprojects such as Singapore Literary Pioneers Gallery, NLB Online Repository of Artistic Works (NORA) DatabaseCollection for Malay Writers and Manuscript, portraits of Tun Seri Lanang, and Tekad Pena. Asas ’50 also worksclosely with National Arts Council, Singapore as a reference resource and prime mover of national initiativessuch as the Singapore Writers’ Festival and International Writers’ Residency Programme.

Angkatan Sasterawan ‘50

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The formation of Asas ’50 youth wing marked another historic chapter in the development of a fresh and vibrantliterary scene in Singapore. Among its initiatives are Pertandingan Eja Tepat (Spelling Bee), Sayembara Membina Kata (WordFormation Competition), Sahibba ‘Siapa Cepat Dia Dapat’ (Scrabble ‘Elimination’), Graftera (Graffiti-Literature), SayembaraKurik Kundi Merah Saga (Proverbs Competition), edu-theatre programme – Nadim, Sayembara Noktah Putih (White DotWriting Competition) and Sayembara Novel Temasek (Temasek Novel Competition). Through the conceptualisation andexecution of youth oriented initiatives, Asas ’50 embraced globalisation as a growing phenomenon and utilises the internetas a medium of promoting literature and language. With a clear plan and vision, Asas ‘50’s official website, was formed.Notably, the internet has inspired various youth driven projects such as Sayembara Potret Sajak (Photo-Poet) and Graftera;two projects that hold potentials to shape a new trend in the Malay literature scene.

In 2008, Asas ’50 carved history with the success of its societal natured programme – Bibliotherapy, whichwitnessed the production of short stories penned by youths of high risks. In 2009, it endeavoured with theemployment of poetic mechanisms through national projects and initiaves such as Heartland Poet for secondaryschool students.

Asas ‘50’s mark of literary excellence was immortalized in the Singapore Encyclopedia, Wikipedia andKamus Dewan, as a testament of its impactful presence. It was also honoured with the President Charity GoldCup Race award in 2005 and 2007 and became the first literary organization to be part of its Asia Pacific BreweriesFoundation Arts Inspire Programme 2008-2010.

Asas ’50 Landmark Initiatives1950 Formation of Asas ’50

1952 Kongres Bahasa Pertama (First Language Congress)

1954 Kongres Bahasa Kedua (Second Language Congress)

1956 Kongres Bahasa Ketiga (Third Language Congress)

1966 Kongres Pertama Bahasa Kebangsaan Singapura (First Singapore National Language Congress)

1973 Perkhemahan Sastera Pertama (First Literature Festival)

1977 Launch of Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara I (First Regional Literati Meet)

1991 Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara VII (Seventh Regional Literati Meet)

2000 Dialog Selatan III (Third Southern Dialogue)

2001 Launch of Malay studies journal Melayu ‘Aktivis’ 1

Angkatan Sasterawan ‘50

2023

2003 Formation of Asas ’50 youth wing2003 Pertemuan Sasterawan Nusantara ke XII (Twelfth Regional Literati Meet)

2003 Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Library Board (NLB)

2003 Launch of Asas ’50 official website

2004 First Youth Meet

2005 Launch of Leksikon

2005 Asas ’50 55 years celebration

2005 Engaging Malay language through Malay literature seminar

2006 Signing of MOU with Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI)

2006 Launch of sayembara Noktah Putih I (White Dot writing competition)

2007 Launch of sayembara Novel Temasek I (Temasek Novel writing competition)

2007 Launch of Santai Sastera (Literature Retreat)

2007 Staging of Matahari Malam (Evening Sun – Masuri SN)

2007 Launch of Sanggan Budaya

2008 Asas ’50 youth wing 5 years anniversary celebration

2008 Launch of Bibliotherapy at Pertapis

2008 Staging og Bisikan Nadim (Nadim’s whisper – Yazid Hussein)

2008 Launch of first science fiction anthology of short stories - Scrinik

2008 Launch of Graftera and Fototera

2008 Launch of Language and Literature Olympic initiative

2009 Launch of Heartland-Poet

2009 Launch of International Arts Residency programme with NAC

Angkatan Sasterawan ‘50