News
IIUM Press aims at new narrative to spread and sustain knowledge
Date : 30 August 2020
Reported by : Danial Yusof
Category : News
Tweet This
By Danial Yusof
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 August 2020: “We want to change the narration of the books in which we frequently talk about. However for me, if you want to read a book, you must also be good in writing, apart from being good in talking to people,” said Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.
The Rector said this following the launching ceremony of IIUM Press Translation Book Publishing Project in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) at Mayor’s courtyard on Thursday (27 August).
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Federal Territories, Dato’ Sri Dr. Santhara J.P, accompanied by Mr. Anwar bin Mohd Zain, the Director of the Department of Community Development and Urban Wellbeing, DBKL.
The event was held in conjunction with Kuala Lumpur World Book Capital (KL WBC 2020). The KL WBC 2020 programme was held in conjunction with Kuala Lumpur being crowned as the UNESCO World Book Capital 2020 on 23 April recently.
According to the Rector, the project has started since June 2019. The translation is not limited to books from languages around the world to Malay and English, but also to translate local books to foreign languages. This project aims to produce 100 translated books in two years.
“Translation becomes an important thing which might be new in our context, besides that we also want to expose our books globally, where their values can be shared all around the world,” the Rector said.
“I hope IIUM will play its new role by integrating the new narrative in which university has the capabilities, expertise and interest in spreading and sustaining the knowledge and language,” he further said.
Meanwhile, according to the Director of IIUM Press, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Roosfa Hashim, the project aims to embed the spirit of reading among Kuala Lumpur’s residents with good reading materials.
“We managed to get the budget of 1.7 million-ringgit Malaysia and with that we have created a new unit called ‘Translation Unit’ in IIUM Press.
Our objective is to publish books that can be read by all communities and we target to publish 100 books and as for now, we have published more than 20 books and among these books carries the theme of biography, scientific, and text book,” he said.
“We will also focus on books with lighter reading so that it can be read by youth including folk tales and we will collaborate with international students to translate significant books from their countries,” he added.***
