KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 -- The prestigious Hadiah Bahasa award has been revived after a 27-year hiatus, following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's call for its reinstatement late last year.

Organised in collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and Public Bank, the award aims to inspire students and professionals to produce high-quality literary works in Bahasa Melayu.

First introduced in 1984 by Public Bank in partnership with the Linguistic Society of Malaysia, the Hadiah Bahasa was last held in 1998. Anwar, who was then the patron of the Linguistic Society of Malaysia, was instrumental in its launch.

Speaking at the launch of Hadiah Bahasa 2025 today, Anwar said Public Bank's chief executive officer and managing direct...