PUBLIC BANK marked a historic moment with the official launch of the Hadiah Bahasa Public Bank – Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka 2025, a prestigious national language award.
In collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), the aim is to inspire professionals to continue producing quality literary works in the national language, to foster a reading and reference culture while recognising outstanding national language works for their linguistic and intellectual merit.
This initiative also encourages students at all education levels, from primary to tertiary, to produce high-quality work in the national language.
The ceremony was graced by the presence of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim whose attendance signifies the government’s strong and unwavering support for initiatives that uplift the national language.
Present at the official launch were Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Board of Governors chairman Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan, and Public Bank chief executive officer and managing director Tan Sri Tay Ah Lek.
Public Bank deputy chief executive officer Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Manap highlighted in his speech that Public Bank has long believed that language is more than just a means of communication; it symbolises national identity, is a vessel of culture, and is a foundation of unity.
He added that Public Bank proudly embarked on a new chapter, Hadiah Bahasa Public Bank Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
This collaboration continues the bank’s legacy of supporting language development and reaffirms their shared vision with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to elevate the national language.
“Hadiah Bahasa is not something new to us at Public Bank. As early as 1984, inspired by our founder, the late Tan Sri Dr Teh Hong Piow who aspired to support the nation in elevating the status of the national language, Public Bank launched the inaugural edition of Hadiah Bahasa in collaboration with the Linguistic Society of Malaysia,” said Sulaiman.
After a 27-year hiatus, Public Bank enters a new chapter through its collaboration with DBP, an institution entrusted with developing and enriching the national language.
This revival reflects Public Bank’s deep-rooted commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the realm of language and literature.
It also underscores the bank’s belief that true national progress lies in economic gains and our contributions toward cultivating a knowledgeable, cultured, and forward-thinking society.
