Brunei Darussalam, Ministry of Education and Culture – The Majelis Bahasa Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia (Mabbim) held its 2024 Secretariat Meeting in Brunei Darussalam from September 23 to 26, 2024. During this Mabbim Secretariat Meeting, representatives from Indonesia proposed several language-related activities connected to the policy of internationalizing the Indonesian language. Additionally, each delegation at the Secretariat Meeting will share best practices in the linguistic field to strengthen the related languages of the three countries. This event also formulates program proposals that will be discussed at the Mabbim Chair Forum to be held in Brunei Darussalam in 2025.
The Secretariat Meeting was attended by representatives from each Mabbim member country. Representing Indonesia were the Secretary of the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, Hafidz Muksin, who serves as the Secretary of Mabbim Indonesia, and Dewi Puspita from the Lexicography and Terminology Working Group at the Center for Language and Literature Development and Protection, who has been involved in Mabbim activities since 2007.
The presence of Indonesian representatives, particularly from the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, at the Mabbim Secretariat Meeting underscores their significant commitment and contribution to regional diplomacy in the field of language.
“Alhamdulillah, thanks to our fellow countries, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia. We felt deeply honored and happy with the implementation of the Mabbim Secretariat Meeting. InsyaAllah, Mabbim’s work programs can continue to be enhanced in line with the times and realized for the benefit of the Indonesian and Malay languages,” Hafidz expressed during his time in Brunei Darussalam.
Mabbim is a regional cooperative body with an important role as a platform to strengthen language cooperation between Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This collaboration is crucial for responding to the rapid pace of modern developments, which require new ideas and perspectives in the linguistic field.
Mabbim’s mission is to nurture and develop the official or national languages, namely Indonesian and Malay, in the three member countries, aiming to elevate them to the status of advanced civilizations, languages of science, modern technology, and economics.
Mabbim holds an annual routine agenda, rotating between the three member countries. The main events are the Secretariat Meeting and Executive Session, which was renamed the Mabbim Chair Forum in 2023. The Secretariat Meeting is held to draft the work agenda and compile materials to be agreed upon at the Mabbim Chair Forum. The Mabbim Chair Forum finalizes and agrees upon the work programs for the following year. (Dr. Dewi Puspita/Editor: Language Agency Team, Denty A)