Brunei’s Language and Literature Bureau (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka or DBP) is in need of more translators to assist them in international co-publications in addition to overcoming translation issues, as almost 95 per cent of books published by the bureau are written in Malay.
The bureau develops the Malay language through the publishing of books, magazines and journals, which are controlled and conducted by the Publication and Marketing Section.
In 2010, they invited experts from Malaysia to carry out translation works that were done for general and literary books. The Brunei Translation Association was formed in an effort to provide some assistance, and staff members were sent to Australia and Malaysia to develop their translation skills.
The Acting Director came up with further solutions that included monitoring the progress of the co-published or translated books, as well as introducing a new regulation, whereby each member country should have a minimum of one co-published book release, in addition to pledging further efforts to promote cooperation in publication activities between APPA member countries.