Governor proposes establishing Publishing Foundation

KUCHING: Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has proposed for the establishment of a Publishing Foundation to help overcome the challenges faced by writers in the state.

According to Sarawak Writers’ Association president Awang Zaidel Awang Jamel, Sarawak had only published 300 book titles in 2023.

This is due to factors such as insufficient funding and a lack of awareness among writers about where to publish their works.

“Therefore, Wan Junaidi has proposed the establishment of a Publishing Foundation so that issues related to publishing in Sarawak can be addressed more efficiently,” he told reporters during an interview after a courtesy call on the Governor and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi at Astana Negeri here today.

He added that the Sarawak Writers’ Association, as a non-governmental organization (NGO), plans to meet with relevant stakeholders to refine this proposal before presenting it to the state government.

He also said Wan Junaidi is committed to the importance of publishing in the field of writing.

Awang Zaidel expressed hope that with the establishment of the foundation, the issue of funding will be managed more effectively so that the literary and cultural aspects of the state are not lost to time.