PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Malaysia will use Bahasa Malaysia at all official functions in which it is involved, including international meetings, as part of efforts to strengthen the national language.

He used Bahasa Malaysia when holding bilateral meetings and joint press conferences during official visits to Brunei, Cambodia and Thailand.

“We need to use Bahasa Malaysia for all official government transactions. My discussions overseas are also official government dealings, which is why I use Bahasa Malaysia,” he told journalists in Bangkok at the end of his three-day official visit to Thailand today.

“It is time for us to be proud of Bahasa Malaysia, which is our national language… we are responsible for strengthening it.

“There is no reason for us to feel awkward or embarrassed to speak Bahasa Malaysia overseas as other people are proud of using their own language.”

Ismail Sabri used Bahasa Malaysia during talks, restricted meetings and joint press conferences with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said Asean has the most number of people using Bahasa Malaysia.

The national language may one day become an Asean language, he added.

“This matter may be discussed with Asean leaders in future.”

In Asean, six countries use their own languages in official events and require interpretation, while four others use English.

“If a country uses its (own) language, we use Bahasa Malaysia. If a country uses English, we use either English or our own language.”

An aide to the prime minister today clarified that Bahasa Malaysia will be used at government functions overseas only when the host country’s national language is not English. – Bernama, February 26, 2022.