KUCHING – An international conference celebrating the 150th anniversary of Hikayat Panglima Nikosa, regarded by scholars as the world’s first known Malay novel, will be held in Kuching from November 25 to 26, 2026.
The two-day International Conference on the First Malay Novel Known in the World: Hikayat Panglima Nikosa will take place at Wisma Melayu Sarawak and is being organised by Amanah Khairat Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak (AKYBMS), in collaboration with Kursi Nusantara, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the Sarawak State Library.
The programme was announced during a media conference held at Wisma Melayu Sarawak on Tuesday, August 11.
AKYBMS General Manager YBhg. Datu Dr. Haji Sanib Haji Said said the conference will carry the theme “150 Years of Commander Nikosa’s Story”.
The event is being organised to mark 150 years since Hikayat Panglima Nikosa was printed in 1876, an event considered an important point in the development of modern Malay literature.
Written by Ahmad Shawal bin Abdul Hamid, Hikayat Panglima Nikosa was printed at Bukit Persinggahan in Kuching.
According to the organisers, scholars have reached a consensus that the work represents one of the earliest examples of Malay literature that meets the characteristics associated with a modern novel.
Its publication is regarded as an important part of the transition in Nusantara Malay literature, particularly the movement from oral storytelling and classical Malay literary traditions towards modern printed publishing.
The work has also attracted scholarly attention because of its historical position alongside the emergence and development of modern novels in Europe and Asia during the 19th century.
This has contributed to interest in Sarawak’s place in the wider history of Malay literature and the development of literary traditions across the region.
Beyond its literary significance, Hikayat Panglima Nikosa provides material for examining several other aspects of Sarawak’s history and cultural development.
The manuscript is associated with the development of Jawi writing, early printing practices, intellectual history and contemporary thought, while also offering insights into aspects of the lives and society of the Sarawak Malay community during the period.
Its printed form is also seen as evidence of Sarawak’s role in the early development of modern writing and Malay printing in the Malay Archipelago.
AKYBMS said the international conference forms part of its continuing efforts to promote greater recognition of the historical, linguistic, cultural and literary importance of the manuscript.
The organisation has been pursuing initiatives to raise awareness of Hikayat Panglima Nikosa and other important Malay manuscripts through academic programmes, research activities, scientific lectures and related presentations.
The upcoming conference is expected to bring together around 300 participants from Malaysia and overseas.
Those expected to attend include academics, researchers, students, literary activists, manuscript curators, cultural practitioners and representatives from various institutions.
The conference is scheduled to be officiated by YB Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Chairman of the AKYBMS Board of Trustees.
The gathering is intended to provide a platform for scholars and practitioners to discuss the significance of Hikayat Panglima Nikosa while highlighting its place within Malay literary and intellectual history.
AKYBMS said its efforts to promote the manuscript have been ongoing since 2014, with the organisation continuing to expand academic and research initiatives aimed at bringing Hikayat Panglima Nikosa to wider national and international attention.
The 150th anniversary programme is therefore expected to place renewed focus on a work that links Sarawak’s literary history with wider developments in Malay writing, printing and intellectual culture.
With researchers, students and cultural institutions expected to participate, the conference will also provide an opportunity for further discussion about the historical significance of the manuscript and its contribution to the study of Malay literature.
The event comes as Sarawak prepares to mark 150 years since the publication of a work that has become an important subject of study in discussions about the origins and development of the modern Malay novel.
