‘Promoting BM a joint effort’

Chong: All must play role to increase use of national language

THE private sector and non-governmental organisations should play their part to help the Government’s efforts to increase the use of Bahasa Malaysia among citizens.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon said getting Malaysians of all races to speak the national language fluently has to be a joint effort.

“At the Standard Bahasa Malaysia Framework Congress on Tuesday, the Deputy Prime Minister had said that although Malaysia has been independent for 60 years, many are still unable to speak fluent Bahasa Malaysia and this is embarrassing.

“At the government level we are making efforts to strengthen the learning of Bahasa Malaysia in schools, and we also have commit- tees up to the Cabinet level to monitor the implementation of these ideas,” he said to a question by Datuk Liang Teck Meng (BN-Simpang Renggam).

Chong encouraged government agencies, government-linked companies (GLCs), the private sector and non-governmental organisations to join and help government initiatives to promote the use of Bahasa Malaysia.

He also expressed hope that government offices nationwide will encourage the use of standard Bahasa Malaysia in all official business matters.

“We have also enlisted the help of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), where proposed advertisements at the local government level must also be approved by DBP before a permit can be issued,” he added.

To a supplementary question by Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (AmanahKota Raja), if it should be compulsory for Bahasa Malaysia to be used in all official communications within the Government and the private sector, Chong said this was already in practice for all business matters involving the Government but was not extended to the private sector.

“It is unrealistic, especially for private companies that have regional and international dealings, to have all communications in Bahasa Malaysia.

“As such, some leeway must be given for communications in other languages like English, Arabic, Indonesian and Thai,” he said.

To a question by M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) on vocational education, Chong said five more vocational colleges will be built to supplement the existing 81 colleges nationwide.

“We have a high demand for vocational education, and it must be noted that admission to vocational colleges is not done by racial quota. The schools are open to all who apply,” he said.

Chong also dismissed concerns by Datuk Hasbullah Osman (BNGerik) that diplomas issued by the vocational colleges were not recognised in the private sector, saying that many diploma holders had already entered the workforce, and some even received offers before graduating.