Speech by PPAS Director at Measured Drawing Exhibition (Kuala Kubu Bharu Historical Buildings) in conjuction with KKB International Art Festival 2016

Speech by PPAS Director, Pn Mastura Hj Muhamad at Measured Drawing Exhibition (Kuala Kubu Bharu Historical Buildings) in conjuction with KKB International Art Festival 2016 at Perpustakaan Syed Mashor Kuala Kubu Bharu on 3 Dec 2016:

I am honoured to be with you today at KKB International Art Festival 2016. I am also thrilled that our library has been chosen to host the art exhibition. For that, I would like to express my gratitude sincerely and deeply from my heart to Her Honourable (Yang Berhormat) Lee Kee Hiong, the key player for this event, for giving us such a golden opportunity.

I know that this library building has nothing much to offer in terms of comfort, so we do as best as we can to accommodate your needs.

We are in the midst of transforming 8 more of our branch libraries. Out of 96, 22 of our libraries have been upgraded with the rebranding concept.

Let us pray together that this library be given its turn for upgrading next year, and that it will get the provision it needs for major renovation and enhancement sooner than later by our government, inshaa Allah.

I applaud Her Honourable Lee Kee Hiong for selecting Kuala Kubu Bharu to host this event. This town offers peacefulness and serenity. It is away from the usual hustle-bustle of a busy city, and its climate is also very pleasant to most people. It is not as hot as most part of the peninsular, and it is not very cold either. The temperature is just nice. As such, to call it “Art Haven in the Hills” truly fits the description.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Everybody wants a better place to live in. We would love to have a peaceful and safe neighborhood, a peaceful country, a peaceful everything. But when it comes to making a change that matters, why do we shy away? Remember, that the place to improve the world is first in one’s heart, head, and hands.

So when we first embark on the journey of transforming our libraries, we make it one of our missions to help the state government reduce crime rate. Why? How does it relate to us as a public library?

We plan and design our newly-transformed libraries with various new facilities, such as a mini 3D theatre, a gaming area like Xbox Kinect, a playground, iMac and PCs, hi-speed Internet, seminar rooms and halls, a prayer room, and clean bathrooms complete with nappy-changing facility.

We introduce those facilities because we hope that the library will be home to NOT ONLY book lovers and intellectuals.

We would like to attract youngsters who usually shy away from libraries to come to our place – including those who have issues with authorities!

We envision that each of our newly-upgraded libraries will be home to all kinds of public interest programs, such as seminars and conferences, courses and training, art exhibitions and workshops, and more.

We believe that a public library is one of the highly personal teachers with infinite patience and infinite learning.

Without steady renewal, school learning fades out and the college graduate returns to the natural state of illiteracy.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me end this speech by quoting the following verse.
(For those who believe and work righteous deeds, there will be Gardens of Bliss, -Luqman, verse 8th.)

Last but not least, enjoy the moment, we hope you find it comfortable to be here, and may Allah bless all of you. Wabillahi taufiq wal hidayah, wassalamualaikum warahmatulahhi wabarakatuh.