Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail brushed off a volley of criticism after he talked up proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia and linked it to applying for passports.
In a brief exchange on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), he told lawyer Michelle Yesudas that he never said that all Malaysians needed to master hikayat (Malay folklore)
"Bahasa Malaysia is the national language. No compromise.
“Malaysians have to understand this basic thing. No need to read out hikayat to us for interaction, ” said Saifuddin.
Bahasa Melayu ini bahasa kebangsaan.
— Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (@saifnasution) December 6, 2023
Rakyat Malaysia kena faham perkara asas ini. Tak perlu sampai baca semua hikayat untuk kita berinteraksi dalam Bahasa Melayu.
YAB PMX pun mewajibkan penggunaan Bahasa Melayu dalam surat menyurat yang melibatkan Kerajaan.
Tiada kompromi. https://t.co/uE5uNUCKJA
He also pointed out that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had mandated the use of Bahasa Malaysia in correspondence involving the government.
Earlier, Yesudas messaged the minister saying: “If Saifuddin wants to make BM mandatory for all passport holders, he has to prove his BM is sasterawan, karyawan negara level (national laureate level).
She then added that it appeared Malaysians would need to have read out all the hikayat.
Saifuddin has been chided for defending an immigration officer who scolded a woman and her daughter in Johor for not being able to speak Bahasa Malaysia.
When asked to comment on the incident two days ago, Saifuddin told reporters that Malaysians must know Bahasa Malaysia and that the authorities have a reason to be suspicious when a Malaysian is unable to converse in the language.
Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek then reminded him that there is no requirement for a citizen applying for a passport to show proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia. - Mkini
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