Language and Literature Bureau | |
Native Name: | Malay: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka |
Jurisdiction: | Government of Brunei |
Headquarters: | Jalan Pembangunan, Lapangan Terbang Lama, Berakas BB3510, Brunei |
Minister1 Name: | Nazmi Mohamad |
Minister1 Pfo: | Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports |
Chief1 Name: | Suip Abdul Wahab |
Chief1 Position: | Director |
Parent Department: | Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports |
Website: | www.dbp.gov.bn |
The Language and Literature Bureau (ms|Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, DBP) is the Bruneian language authority of the country's official language Malay. It is also the operator of public libraries in the country. It was established in 1960 and is now a government department under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
The establishment of the Malay: Lembaga Bahasa (Language Board) began with the approval of an Malay: usul (motion) during a Legislative Council meeting on 18 April 1960.[1] The motion was to establish an independent body answerable to the government with the function of consolidating the status of Malay as the official language of Brunei, as enacted in the Constitution (Malay: Perlembagaan) which was promulgated in the previous year.[2] However, it was later renamed to Bahagian Bahasa dan Pustaka (Language and Literature Section) in 1962.[3] At the time it was established under the authority of Jabatan Pelajaran (Department of Education).[4] On 1 January 1965, it was made into a separate department and eventually adopted the name Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Language and Literature Bureau). In 1984, the agency was subsumed under the authority of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei publishes Kamus Bahasa Melayu Brunei, the official dictionary of the Brunei Malay language, the de facto lingua franca in Brunei. The dictionary was first published in 1991 and it is currently in its second edition, with entries over 15,000.[5]
The Dewan also publishes four journals, namely Bahasa, Beriga, Pangsura and Undang-Undang Syariah, as well as three magazines, namely Bahana, Juara Pelajar and Mekar.[6]
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei operates all public libraries in the country, which include:[7] [8]
Since 1970, it also has introduced mobile library services, locally known as Malay: Perpustakaan Bergerak.[9]