PENANG, 28 August 2013 - Translation activities in Malaysia started since the heyday of Malacca with great influences from the Arabs and Chinese. With these activities, languages flourished and helped to develop the country as well as knowledge. Continuing education and training plays a key role in helping experts and interpreters to further develop and uphold this field.

In line with that objective, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) through the Bahasa Malaysia, Translation and Interpretation Section, under the School of Humanities was given the honour to host the 14th International Conference on Translation 2013 (ICT-14) and the FIT 7^th Asian Translators’ Forum (ATF-7) at Parkroyal Hotel here today.

“Support should be given to the efforts in translating local intellectual productions so that they can be introduced to the international arena. This is necessary for the success of the internationalisation agenda and also for national development, said USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman in the policy paper and opening speech at the launching of the conference.

USM was selected to organise ATF-7 because it is the only university that offers a Bachelor's degree in translation and interpretation in the country, and a pioneer in the field of translation studies.

According to the Acting President of the International Translator's Federation (FIT), Henry-Liu, continuous training is very important and he urged everyone involved with the ICT-14 and ATF-7 to be a member of FIT and be active in all its activities.

With the theme Translator and Interpreter Training: Innovation, Assessment and Recognition, the conference attracted over 330 participants from 26 countries including Taiwan, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Five books were also launched during the same event, three of which were translations jointly by USM with the Malaysian Institute of Translation & Books (ITBM) and they are Penterjemahan (Translation), Pengajian Penterjemahan Deskriptif dan Jangkauannya (Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond) and Kejurubahasaan Komuniti Merentasi Sempadan (Crossing Borders in Community Interpreting). The other two are Asas Terjemahan & Interpretasi (Basic Translation & Interpretation) by USM Press and Interpretasi, Kejurubahasaan & Jurubahasa (Interpretation, Interpreting & Interpreter) by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Also present were the President of the Malaysian Association of Translation, Professor Emeritus Dr. Abdullah Hassan; ITBM Managing Director, Mohd Khair Ngadiron; Dean of the School of Humanities, Associate Professor Hajar Abdul Rahim; together with the Director of ICT-14 and ATF-7, Associate Professor Dr. Hasuria Che Omar. - Text: Rafizah Nor Md Zain/Photo & Translation: Yong Check Yoon