The Perak state government is prepared to resume the organising of the International Poetry & Folk Song Festival (Pulara) in Pangkor next year, after it was not held for two years since last year.

Perak Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said the state government was planning and looking into reviving the event next year which would be the 10th edition. The festival was initiated in 2010.

"Pulara is synonymous with Perak, especially Pangkor, and from this festival we have set up several related programmes, including producing cultural development-themed working papers as self identity and the importance of the Malay Language," she said.

She was speaking to Bernama during a Pulara-related event at Pangkor, here, yesterday. Also present was former Perak Menteri Besar who is also Pangkor State Assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

The event, attended by the arts and literature fraternity, was held in remembrance of the Perak Laureate, the late Dr Mohamed Ghazali Abdul Rashid or better known as Malim Ghazali PK or Pak Malim who died on June 18.

Nolee Ashilin said Pak Malim was an icon who actively championed literature Perak by founding various programmes including Pulara and was among the movers of the Perak Laureate Award, besides contributing to the country's literature through his numerous works on culture, history and places in the state.

-- BERNAMA