What did you do for Sarawak, Masing asks Rais Yatim

Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri James Masing has hit out at Tan Sri Rais Yatim, the social and cultural adviser to the federal government, over his criticism of the state’s move to adopt English as the second official language. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, November 24, 2015. 

Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri James Masing today rebuffed Putrajaya's social and cultural affairs adviser, Tan Sri Rais Yatim, who said the state's move to adopt English as the state's second official language could sow discord among the people.

Masing asked what had Rais done to enhance national integration between Sarawak and the peninsula during his time as the minister of national unity, culture, arts and heritage.

“Malaya has just recognised the Dayak as a race after 50 years of independence.

“Rais had never mentioned anything about Dayak as a racial group during his stint as a federal minister.

“When he was the menteri perpaduan (national unity, culture, arts and heritage), he only treated the Dayaks as patung (puppets) and models for his cultural photographs on his billboard and television advertisements.

“That was never good for integration,” Masing said.

Rais yesterday waded into Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem's decision to make English the state's second official language by asking him to reconsider the decision “to safeguard unity between the peninsula and East Malaysia”.

“Isn't this a disintegration or will it not cause a split in the society? So, in terms of nationhood, I am not in favour of the state government's stand,” Rais was quoted as saying by the national news agency Bernama.

Masing said being bilingual would not cause disintegration between the west and east.

“Instead, there will be better integration as Sarawakians can still communicate with those from the peninsula, communicate with foreigners, investors and  expatriates.

“To be bilingual is therefore not a zero-sum game.”

Meanwhile, Adenan (pic) today brushed off criticism, especially from Malay interest groups in the peninsula.

“I respect their decision. (But) I don't care what they say.

“It suits Sarawak, everybody here wants it,” he told reporters at a ceremony to disburse native customary land titles and land compensation in the mining town of Bau today.

Adenan said he disagreed with Rais's contention that the state government's move could sow discord.

Rais also said that such a decision ought to be debated first because it involved the Federal Constitution, which stipulates Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.

Adenan said he disagreed with Rais because making English the second official language did not amount to discarding Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.

“We are having both. We can have both. I am just being practical,” the chief minister said when asked by reporters about Rais's comments.

- TMI