By: Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari
Photo: Mohammad Izrul Abdul Jabar
SERDANG, August 8 – Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has raised the curtain on the Jelajah Puisi Merdeka Keluarga Malaysia 2022 (Malaysian Family Merdeka Poetry Tour 2022) organised by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Malaysian Poets Association (PENYAIR).
Series 1 of the Jelajah Puisi Merdeka Keluarga Malaysia was accomplished with the cooperation and support of several other public universities, including Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).
UPM Vice-Chancellor, YH Prof. Dato' Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman, said this programme can show our care and responsibility as Malaysians always to nurture the spirit of patriotism and love for this sovereign nation.
"Although UPM is oriented towards the field of agriculture, the commitment to raise the dignity of language, literature and culture is not neglected at all.
"I am confident that this programme will be able to instil the spirit of love for the nation and propagate the fighting spirit through poetry," he said in his speech at the launch of Series 1 of the Jelajah Puisi Merdeka Keluarga Malaysia at Dewan Za’ba, Faculty of Modern Languages ​​and Communication (FBMK).
Meanwhile, National Laureate, Dato' Rahman Shaari, said this programme is a vehicle for invigorating the spirit of patriotism and love for the nation through local educational institutions and the surrounding community.
"The national poetry tour starts at UPM, and then we will go to other public universities such as UMS and UNIMAS. Thank you to UPM for collaborating to make the show a success tonight," he said.
Dato' Rahman was also among eight people from PENYAIR who recited poems, while five lecturers from FBMK, UPM, also recited their respective poems on the theme of love for the nation.
Also present were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Prof. Dr. Ismi Arif Ismail and the Director of the Centre for Corporate Strategy and Relations (PSPK), Prof. Dato' Dr. Abdul Mua'ti @ Zamri Ahmad. – UPM
