Understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia is vital to enable the Malay language to be the official language of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean).
Dewan Negara President Rais Yatim said Wisma Putra played an important role to find a specific way to link the country’s objectives with that of its neighbours.
"Malaysia cannot regard Indonesia lightly as she is an ally in the greater struggle,” he said during the Asean Representatives’ Roundtable Session for the Advancement of Malay Language at Institutes of Higher Learning in Asean Countries in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Rais also suggested that Article 34 of the Asean Charter, which states the use of English as the Asean working language, be amended with the addition of Malay.
"We must do this through Wisma Putra and Asean diplomacy to amend it… but if it’s only Malay, maybe Indonesia will not agree and that’s why we need to negotiate.
“What’s important at this point is to include the idea of Malay-Indonesian language into (the Asean Charter),” he said.
Rais also suggested several short term and long term initiatives to enhance the Malay language, including enriching local arts and culture, Malay world studies and increasing the number of Malay language teachers in universities abroad.
The roundtable session was organised by the Institute of Malay World and Civilisation (Atma) of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) with the assistance of the Prime Minister’s Department and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and was held in conjunction with the Malay Language Internationalisation Symposium that is taking place till today.
The symposium was officiated on Sunday by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
- Bernama
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.