Do not approach language as a zero-sum game as both Bahasa Malaysia and English are important in different ways, said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Those who place “narrow, nationalistic interpretations” on linguistics should not be entertained, he added.
“Yes, Malaysians must be committed to Bahasa (Malaysia), not as political rhetoric, but (we should) support all efforts possible to enhance the quality and level of proficiency of Bahasa Malaysia as a language of knowledge.
“This means (we) have to support institutions, translate the great works of economics, science, literature, technology and so on.
“This must be done but this should not be at the expense of other languages. English, to my mind, is still very important (as an) international language.
“Normally, the report will always be a zero-sum game (where) if I say Bahasa Malaysia, that means I don’t like English and if I support English, I don’t like Bahasa Malaysia,” Anwar said to reporters after attending Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.
The current government has in recent months made a push for Bahasa Malaysia to be used more widely, especially in international engagements.
Under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s leadership, the government has pushed civil servants to use Bahasa Malaysia along with a translator with foreign diplomats, even if they can converse in English.
There have since been suggestions to implement “corrective and punitive” measures on civil servants who failed to comply with the policy, prompting concerns from G25, an organisation comprising former top civil servants.
In March, Ismail Sabri also announced that foreign students studying in Malaysia will be compelled to learn Bahasa Malaysia.
Anwar today said it is time to resolve this long-standing issue with language in Malaysia.
“Let us resolve this after decades of independence, that we are here committed to our national language and committed to languages that would be important or critical to enhancing the quality of life and economy of this country,” he said. - Mkini
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