Ministry, Gapena to collaborate to produce quality local art products

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) will work with the Federation of National Writers Association of Malaysia (Gapena) in an effort to help local art practitioners to further enrich their products, said its Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said Gapena, which has expertise in Malay-based writing and culture, will play a role to advise the ministry in terms of digital content creation and help art practitioners to produce materials such as song lyrics, scripts for drama, film and animation through the organisation of workshops and seminars.

“This collaboration with Gapena is not to issue rigid guidelines or new rules to art practitioners, but Gapena will help them with cultural inputs,” he told Bernama after holding a virtual engagement session with Gapena Chief 1 Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan yesterday.

Saifuddin said the cooperation would be inked as soon as possible and would involve a series of discussions between KKMM and Gapena.

In another development, Saifuddin said the Gapena’s ‘Sayembara Puisi Kemerdekaan’ poetry competition will be listed as one of the official programmes for the National Month celebration this year.

“We do not know whether this year’s National Month celebration will be held regularly or online but we have to be prepared for both possibilities.

“However, the planning of this competition programme is that it will be recorded to be broadcast to the public through online platforms and local television stations throughout the National Month,” he said.