UMPSA strengthens commitment in Strengthening Phase of Malay Language Empowerment Plan as Language of Knowledge at Public Universities

SHAH ALAM, 23 May 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) continues to support the national agenda of empowering the Malay language as the language of knowledge by participating in the Reporting Workshop on the Malay Language Empowerment Plan in Public Institutions of Higher Learning (IPTA) 2025–2030 held on 22 and 23 May 2025 at Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam.

The workshop was officiated by the Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Dato’ Dr. Haji Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian.

In his speech, he emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts among public universities (UA) to strengthen the use of the Malay language as the main medium for knowledge and research in institutions of higher learning.

The workshop aimed to discuss the implementation of the Second Strategic Phase, specifically the Strengthening Phase, which commenced this year and will continue until 2030.

The workshop, organised by the Parliamentary Section, Innovation and Malay Language Empowerment, Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), was supervised by the Principal Assistant Secretary (KPSU), Che Hazwani Che Mansor.

She expressed appreciation to all institutions of higher learning for their achievements and commitment during the First Phase.

“The Development Phase was implemented from 2023 to 2025.

“The success of this initial implementation forms a solid foundation for the continued efforts in the strengthening phase,” she said.

UMPSA was represented by a Senior Language Teacher from the Centre for Modern Languages (CML) and a committee member of the Malay Language Empowerment at Institutions of Higher Learning (IPT), Hamizah Zahari, who monitors the implementation of the plan at UMPSA’s CML.

She attended on behalf of UMPSA’s Focal Officer, who is also the Dean of CML and Chairperson of the Council of Deans of Language of Public Universities (MALDEC), Associate Professor Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi.

According to Hamizah, among the programmes implemented by UMPSA during the Development Phase included strategic collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) through the organisation of Bicara Munsyi, creative writing activities, publication of research journals in Malay, independent poetry recitation competitions, as well as Malay language writing workshops and training.

“For your information, nominations for the Malay Language Academic Figure Award (ATABM), Malay Language Emerging Academic Award (ATHABM), and Malay Language Figure Award for the Technical Sector are open until 13 June 2025.

“These prestigious awards aim to recognise academics from public and private universities for their significant contributions in uplifting the Malay language as a medium for research, scholarly publication, teaching, and professional service to society across various fields of knowledge, including Social Sciences and Science and Technology.

“UMPSA is also proud to have received a four-star rating in the implementation of the Malay Language Empowerment Plan as the Language of Knowledge at IPTA for the year 2024,” she said.

She further added that this achievement serves as a motivational catalyst for UMPSA to implement more strategic initiatives aimed at improving its rating in the future.

The workshop successfully gathered Malay language focal officers from 20 public universities (UA), seven polytechnics, and five community colleges.

By: Hamizah Zahari, Associate Professor Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi, Centre for Modern Languages (CML)

Translation by: Dr Rozaimi Abu Samah, UMPSA Press