In conjunction with the National Decade Celebration Month, the “Malam Puisi Mengukir Bangsa” was held to celebrate poetry as a treasured art form and a unifying force for Malaysia’s multicultural society. The prestigious event took place following the International Symposium on the Aspirations of the Malay Language (SAABM 2025) held earlier the same day.
The highest accolade of the evening, the Mengukir Bangsa Icon Award (Distinguished Poet), was posthumously conferred upon the late Dato’ Usman Awang, a literary giant whose works continue to inspire unity, compassion, and the spirit of nationhood. The award was received by his daughter, Puan Haslina Usman, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to nurturing national identity through the beauty of language and the universal values of humanity.
Other notable recipients of the “Malam Puisi Mengukir Bangsa” awards included:
• YBhg. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohamed Thariq bin Haji Hameed Sultan, Director of UPM Press, who received the “Mengukir Bangsa Icon Award” (Writing and Publication) for his distinguished contributions to advancing Malay-language academic publishing in Scopus-indexed journals.
• YBhg. Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Jessica Ong Hai Liaw, from the Department of Management, Faculty of Defence Studies and Management, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), who received the “Mengukir Bangsa Icon Award” (Language and Unity) for her ongoing efforts in strengthening human-centered communication and national unity through language, art, and education.
The awards were presented by YB Dato’ Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysia’s 9th Prime Minister, during an evening that paid tribute to the nation’s linguistic, cultural, and artistic heritage at the Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Carrying the theme “Bahasa Melayu Mengangkat ASEAN” (The Malay Language Elevates ASEAN), the event was organised by the Aspirasi Bahasa Melayu Malaysia Organization (PABMM) in collaboration with Ikhtisas Kepimpinan Kamarazaman (IKK), Asia Lecturers and Teachers Community (ALTC) Indonesia, Thai Global Business Administration Technological College (TGBC), Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUTT) Thailand, Academy of Malay Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM), UPM Press, and the Office of the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The International Symposium on the Aspirations of the Malay Language (SAABM 2025) aims to advance and elevate the status of the Malay language, not only within Malaysia but across the regional and international landscape. The symposium featured keynote addresses, academic forums, and paper presentations by distinguished scholars and thought leaders, culminating in a scientific resolution for the future of language, unity, and regional cultural identity.
Source: Secretariat of SAABM and MPMB 2025