Humanities key to nurturing strong values

KUCHING: Greater emphasis must be accorded to the humanities to nurture individuals with strong values and a sense of humanity.

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Director-General Dr Hazami Jahari said while science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), economics and finance remained important, they should be complemented by knowledge of language, culture, literature, history and society.

He said neglecting the humanities could result in generations equipped with technical knowledge but lacking the values needed to understand and respond to human issues.

“There is no denying the importance of the government’s current policies that prioritise subjects related to economics, finance, STEM and the like.

“However, the soul will become empty and the development of a generation will be crippled if the humanities are not given due emphasis.

“Therefore, the provision of faculties focusing on language, culture and literature, such as those at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), can complement efforts to produce scholars with soul and humanity,” he said.

He said this at the 2026 International Seminar on Southeast Asian Literature (SAKAT 2026) at the Seminar Hall, Tun Abang Salahuddin Islamic Centre (PITAS), UNIMAS, Monday (Sept 21).

Dr Hazami said the humanities encompassed academic disciplines concerning society, culture, language, history and human thought, which required critical and analytical approaches.

He said the importance of the humanities had become increasingly apparent amid developments at the international level, where humanitarian concerns were often overshadowed by political, economic and strategic interests.

“The Middle East crisis clearly shows that humanity is no longer respected, with the occupation of Palestine having reached nearly 70 years.

“This is happening because humanitarian values are no longer given priority,” he stressed.

Against this backdrop, Dr Hazami expressed confidence that SAKAT 2026 could serve as a platform to strengthen appreciation of humanitarian values through literature.

He said the international seminar, involving presentations from Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia, would provide opportunities to discuss contemporary issues.

“The seminar will explore issues related to language, literature and creative writing to further enhance the capabilities and intellectual capacity of the younger generation.

“It will also place the humanities, particularly language, literature and culture, back at the heart of the younger generation,” he said.

Also present were DBP Board of Governors member Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir and UNIMAS Vice-Chancellor Ahmad Hata Rasit.