By Asmahanim Amir
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

BANGI, 14 June 2016 – Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob  accepted a challenge to recite  a poem entitled Wahai Anak at a poetry-reciting session organised jointly by The national University of Malaysia (UKM) and the Utusan Malaysia daily.

Before reciting the poem, he expressed his pride of UKM and Utusan because – as he said – it still presses on to fight for the well-being of the bahasa Melayu.

“Utusan Melayu, although heavily criticised, scorned and mocked, soldiers on to uplift the Malays through writing and reporting the news in the newspaper. Continue your struggle,” he declared at the show, here on 21 May.

Other participants at the Bintang-Bintang Berpuisi II, or the Stars of Poetry were  National Poetry Laureate, Datuk Zurinah Hassan, Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, the Deputy Vice Chancellors, academia, Utusan Group Managing Director, Datuk Mohd Noordin Abbas and artists like Ajak Shiro, Anis Al-Idrus and Fizz Fairuz.

There were also musical performances by guest singers Siti Nordiana, Projector Band and Najwa Latif.

Prof Noor Azlan said UKM and Utusan are fighting for the same aspirations and the desire of being the guardians of the national language.

“The involvement of artists, scientists, administrators and students in this event proves that poetry is always in our heart, culture and language and to glorify it.

He expressed hope  the programme – now in its second session – will be an annual event for UKM and Utusan.

Meanwhile, Datuk Mohd Noordin  said the show is a commitment between Utusan and UKM to sustain Malay literature.

“Utusan intends to make this an annual event as envisioned by UKM. I hope Utusan and UKM will continue to collaborate in organising the programme in the future in order to uphold the national language,” he said.