UMPSA was named the recipient of the 2023 National Book Award

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 December 2023 - Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) achieved success through cross-border collaboration in scholarly publishing, resulting in the recognition of the book titled 'Rukun Negara dan Pancasila: Ideologi dan Amalan' (the Malaysian National Principles [Rukun Negara] and the Indonesian Five Principles [Pancasila]: Ideology and Principles) as the recipient of the 2023 National Book Award for the Best General Book Industry Category (National).

The recognition was presented during the 2023 National Book Awards Ceremony held on 22 December 2023 at the Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. 

Published by UMPSA Publishers under the management of the Institute of Civilization and Strategic Studies (ITKAS), the book was launched in 2022 alongside the Rukun Negara-Pancasila Regional Discourse at Hotel Zenith, Kuantan, spearheaded by the former Chairman of the UMPSA Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman.

The book combines literature reviews written by lecturers from UMPSA, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universitas Negeri Yogjakarta (UNY), and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), exploring the concepts, practices, and appreciation of Rukun Negara and Pancasila in addressing social, economic, political challenges, education, and law in both countries.

According to UMPSA Publisher Director, Associate Professor Ir. Ts. Dr. Norazlianie Sazali, this book is the first to comprehensively discuss national unity and Pancasila, drawing from studies at three universities in Malaysia and Indonesia. 

"The publication of the book aims to enrich reading resources on the ideological core of Malaysian and Indonesian national identity, which share close similarities in content and aspirations."

"The motive of this ideology is clear, but its effective translation into daily community life remains elusive. It needs to be embraced and practiced across governance and social sectors to ensure its continual relevance and guarantee the well-being of future generations," she said.

She added that the Rukun Negara and Pancasila book, containing 23 scholarly articles and spanning 374 pages, took almost four months to be completed. 

"Despite facing certain challenges during the publication process, maintaining linguistic consistency and factual accuracy is paramount to avoid contradictions."

"This success not only underscores the quality of UMPSA publications but also demonstrates that cooperation between universities, editors, and writers is pivotal for success in any endeavour," she emphasized. "High-impact publications at UMPSA are now focused not only on dissemination but also on the content quality and societal impact."

She expressed hope that this success would inspire other academics to produce high-quality works for public consumption. "There are myriad aspects in social science ripe for exploration and publication, including traditional home technology, societal origins, historical struggles, and the history of Malaysian-Indonesian ideologies."

By: Nur Ainaa Adhreena Muhamad Shukri, Centre for Corporate Communications

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, UMPSA Career Centre (UMPSACC)