Malay language needs to regain people’s trust, says Maszlee

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 29 Sep 2019 7:41AM · 4 Comments

Education Minister Maszlee Malik says the Malay language needs to regain the people's trust and update itself according to the times in order to remain relevant. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 29, 2019.

THE Malay language has to regain the trust of the people as a language of knowledge in order to remain relevant, in line with the constant introduction of new words in various fields including economics, politics, law as well as technology, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

He said all parties should continue to play a role in cultivating and elevating the Malay language to the international level.

The Malay language should always stay relevant, continuously evolving to meet the challenges, he said.

“Let’s expand the efforts to elevate the official language of the country,” he said in his opening speech at the Prime Minister’s Cup Malay Language International Speech Competition 2019 at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Education (UPSI)’s Sultan Azlan Shah Proton City Campus, in Tanjung Malim tonight.

Also present were his deputy Teo Nie Ching, UPSI vice-chancellor Prof Mohammad Shatar Sabran and state Education, Technology, Science and Environment Committee chairman Abdul Aziz Bari.

Earlier, Shatar in his speech said the Malay language should be recognised not only at the Asean region but also at every corner of the globe including Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States.

Three categories were contested in the Prime Minister’s Cup Malay Language International Speech Competition 2019, namely, the “Alam Melayu” (for five Asean member countries where the Malay language is widely used), International Student in Malaysia and the International categories.

Amirul Iqmal Razlan from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was named as the winner of the “Alam Melayu” category; while the International student category won by Moustapha Koutoub Sano from Guinea, who is also IIUM student; and Qurbanov Ozad Nurmuhammad Ugli from the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages, bagged the International category award.

The winner of each category received RM10,000, a trophy and a certificate. – Bernama, September 29, 2019.

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Comments

  • Japanese language was world wide known for its supremacy in automobile industry and electrical industry. These 2 business industries expanded world wide and becomes world leaders. Consequently many wanted to learn Japanese language in order to acquire these industries know how and technology and work in Japanese firms. What's the push factor in Malay language in the eyes of foreigners? Corruption, lazy attitude, blaming excuses or racist affirmation policies? Build some credibility with your community value system among the Malays and Malay corporations before people can trust you. Than only Malay language would be respected.

    Posted 4 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • U r nuts.

    Posted 4 years ago by Richard Foo · Reply

  • I've got no problems with the language.
    It's you damned politicians that are not trusted

    Posted 4 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply

  • Bahasa.. Except to pass UPSR, PT3 & SPM, how else it is of any benefit in higher studies and future career advancement in any part of the world except for basic communication. If this is the situation, why is the vocabulary made so hard & complex even at UPSR level. None of the complex vocabulary that we learn is relevant in higher studies or future employment career. The ideal approach is
    to make it a communication language except for those who wanted to be a linguistic or master in the language...

    Posted 4 years ago by Maniraju Maruthai · Reply