KUALA NERUS, 7 May – The presence of Malaysia’s 14th National Laureate, Datuk Dr Siti Zainon Ismail, at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) yesterday left a great impact on the university community. She shared her experiences, inspiration, and deep love for the nation through literary works during the Minda Kreatif Sasterawan Negara (National Laureate Creative Minds) programme.

The special event taking place at the Sulaiman Auditorium was held in conjunction with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UMT and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). The MoU aims to strengthen collaboration in the fields of language, publishing, and Malay literature.

According to UMT Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategy, Performance and Corporate), Prof. Ts. Dr Mohd Fadzil Mohd Akhir, who represented Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr Mohd Zamri Ibrahim, this type of programme helps to encourage creative thinking among students while nurturing patriotic spirit based on history and national identity.

“The thinking of National Laureates such as Datuk Dr Siti Zainon Ismail has the power to transform the literary landscape towards greater quality. Her works, rich with the nation’s historical values, serve as inspiration for young writers not to forget their roots and homeland,” he said in his speech.

He added that literature is an important medium for shaping cultured, knowledgeable, and responsible individuals, in line with the principles of the Rukun Negara and the core values of Malaysia MADANI.

“Young people are encouraged to be more earnest in producing creative works that are meaningful and contribute to nation-building.”

At the meaningful event, there was also a performance involving poems and short stories by the National Laureate, organised by UMT’s Centre for Culture and Arts, with support from the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Library and the Department of Languages and Communication, Centre for Foundation and Continuing Education.

Prof. Mohd Fadzil also stressed that the efforts by UMT and DBP to introduce literary figures to the public through programmes such as Minda Kreatif align well with the aspirations of today’s higher education and support the vision of the Ministry of Higher Education through the implementation of the Festival of Ideas programme, which highlights local thought, national achievements, and indigenous wisdom.

“We hope to see more emerging talent in the literary world, and that we can cultivate a culture of reading and writing among students. Creative minds do not only bring about literary understanding, but also spark fresh ideas and innovations among the youth,” he said.