20th National Poetry Day programme starts today
BINTULU: The 20th National Poetry Day ( HPN) programme from today (Aug 3) until Aug 5 at Kemena Plaza Hotel here will see over 300 participants from Asean countries taking part in the event.
The programme is jointly organised by Sarawak government, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Nasional Malaysia (Gapena).
Gapena working committee member cum Badan Bahasa & Sastera Sabah (Bahasa) president Datuk Jasni Matlani said the theme for this year’s event is ‘Integriti Pemacu Pembentukan Negara Bangsa’.
“Since 1971, Gapena has taken the initiative to bring together all poem writers from the country for this event.
“For the 20th gathering, Sarawak is hosting the event for the second time after the first edition held in Sematan in 1984,” said Jasni when speaking on behalf of Gapena chief 1 Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan at a press conference here yesterday.
Also present were Bintulu District Officer Mataip Sayu and Gapena working committee secretary Abdul Aziz Mohd Ali.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to officiate at the opening ceremony on Saturday (Aug 4) at 11am.
Jasni said in conjunction with this year’s HPN, two wellknown local figures in poetry writing - Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah and
Since 1971, Gapena has taken the initiative to bring together all poem writers from the country for this event. Datuk Jasni Matlani, Gapena working committee member
Zainal Abidin Suhaili will receive the Gapena Literary Award 2018.
“This award is given in recognition for their contributions towards the development of literature in Sarawak,” he said.
Previous recipients of the awards included Kassim Ahmad (1987); Baha Zain - Baharuddin Zainal (1988); A Latif Mohidin (1991); Jihaty Abadi – Yahya Hussin (1996); Dharmawijaya – Kamaruzzaman Abdul Kadir (1999); Affrini Adham - Ahmad Ariffin (2000); Mokhtar Yassin ( 2007); Jamdin Buyong ( 2011); Rahman Shaari ( 2013); Jamaluddin Darus ( 2013); and A Rahim Abdullah (2013).
Jasni added the 20th HPN will be coordinated by Bintulu District Office together with Persatuan Karyawan Sastera Sarawak ( Pekasa) and Persatuan Penulis Utara Sarawak (Putera).
“We are expecting about 300 participants from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Southern Thailand at the programme,” he said.
There will be a special session ( Bicara Puisi) today (Aug 3) with the SEA Write Awards recipients Datuk Jasni Matlani and Dr Lim Swee Tin at SMK Bandar Bintulu and SMK Bintulu at 8.30am.
The first session of talks will be conducted by Gapena secretary 1 Hamzah Hamdani, Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah, and Putera chief 1 Zainal Abidin Suhaili at 3pm today (Aug 3) at the main venue at Kemena Plaza Hotel.
On the second day, the programme will resume with the second session to be conducted by the national laureate Dato’ Dr Zurinah Hassan at 8.30am followed by the official opening ceremony by Abang Johari at 11am.
The third session will kick off at 2pm and four panellists will conduct the talks namely Dr Lim Swee Tin, Datuk Jasni Matlani, Pekasa chief 1 Dilah Tuah, and Dr Abang Petdali Abang Muhi from DBP Kuala Lumpur.
In the evening, a ‘ Poets with the Community’ programme will be held at Kampung Jepak which will then be followed by the closing ceremony by the Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office ( Integrity and Ombudsman) cum Jepak assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip at 8.30pm. Prior to the closing ceremony, an Islamic talk on peotry will be conducted by Dr Juanda Jaya after the Maghrib prayer at Masjid Jepak.