From Batu Gajah to Tokyo: Translating and Publishing Lat’s Budak Kampung for the Global Market

Abstract

The globalisation of knowledge and information has positioned translation institutions and publishers as key agents in spreading cultural and linguistic diversity worldwide. Beyond economic exchange, translation and publishing activities enable local works to cross borders, promoting cultural dialogue and intellectual sharing. This paper discusses the role of the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books (ITBM) as both publisher and translation institution in promoting Malaysian works to the international market. Using the Japanese edition of Lat’s graphic novel Budak Kampung as the study material, the paper highlights ITBM’s functions in (i) selection and evaluation, (ii) production and design, and (iii) marketing and distribution. The research, based on manual data collection and descriptive analysis, shows that the decision to translate Budak Kampung into Japanese was driven by three factors, Lat’s prominence as an author, the collaborative practices among publishers, and the credibility of the story, which has been translated into 13 world languages. The findings also reveal that changes were made to the content, design and book size to align with the Japanese market. TUFS Press Tokyo was identified as the partner responsible for marketing and distribution in Japan. The implications of this study indicate that publishers are not only mediators of texts but also active cultural agents, promoting local works internationally through translation and publishing while strengthening Malaysian cultural identity in the global arena.

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