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The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
National language must be core to Malaysia's development strategy
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has underscored the importance of upholding and advancing the national language as a fundamental pillar of Malaysia's national development agenda. Speaking at the launch of the Public Bank-Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Language Prize today, Anwar cited global examples to stress that economic, technological and digital progress need not come at the expense of cultural and linguistic identity, but instead can coexist with strong cultural and linguistic roots. 'Take China, for example. Despite its technological and economic prowess, it continues to emphasise classical education in Chinese literature, such as the works of Mengzi, in schools. They want their children to maintain their cultural identity and not be swayed or mesmerised by foreign works that influence young minds and character. 'In Russia, despite its military and economic strength and a rapidly advancing education system, almost everyone I've met there seems familiar with the richness of Russian literature, such as the great works of Anna Akhmatova,' he said. Also present were Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, DBP Board of Governors chairman Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan, and Public Bank Berhad deputy chief executive officer Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Manap. Anwar said that Malaysia needs to emulate these nations by making the national language a living part of its progress, not a rhetorical slogan, but a practical commitment backed by unified action across all sectors, including finance and private enterprise. 'In our pursuit of a MADANI nation, one that is progressive and globally competitive, we must ensure our financial institutions are strong and outward-looking. But in doing so, we must never lose sight of a vital component of nation-building, which is linguistic excellence and reverence for our literary heritage. 'It would be a grave mistake to assume that language and culture can be sidelined in the name of reform and progress. No great nation has ever abandoned these foundations,' Anwar asserted. The Prime Minister also applauded the revival of the Language Prize, which was first introduced in 1984 but discontinued in 1998, as a timely move to reaffirm national values. He also commended Public Bank's support for the initiative as a model for how the private sector can play a meaningful role in preserving and promoting national language, literature, and culture. The Public Bank-DBP Language Prize spans five categories and celebrates high-quality works in the Malay language, produced by students from primary school to university level.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
National language must be core to country's development strategy
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has underscored the importance of upholding and advancing the national language as a fundamental pillar of Malaysia's national development agenda. Speaking at the launch of the Public Bank-Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Language Prize today, Anwar cited global examples to stress that economic, technological and digital progress need not come at the expense of cultural and linguistic identity, but instead can coexist with strong cultural and linguistic roots. 'Take China, for example. Despite its technological and economic prowess, it continues to emphasise classical education in Chinese literature, such as the works of Mengzi, in schools. They want their children to maintain their cultural identity and not be swayed or mesmerised by foreign works that influence young minds and character. 'In Russia, despite its military and economic strength and a rapidly advancing education system, almost everyone I've met there seems familiar with the richness of Russian literature, such as the great works of Anna Akhmatova,' he said. Also present were Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, DBP Board of Governors chairman Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan, and Public Bank Berhad deputy chief executive officer Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Manap. Anwar said that Malaysia needs to emulate these nations by making the national language a living part of its progress, not a rhetorical slogan, but a practical commitment backed by unified action across all sectors, including finance and private enterprise. 'In our pursuit of a MADANI nation, one that is progressive and globally competitive, we must ensure our financial institutions are strong and outward-looking. But in doing so, we must never lose sight of a vital component of nation-building, which is linguistic excellence and reverence for our literary heritage. 'It would be a grave mistake to assume that language and culture can be sidelined in the name of reform and progress. No great nation has ever abandoned these foundations,' Anwar asserted. The Prime Minister also applauded the revival of the Language Prize, which was first introduced in 1984 but discontinued in 1998, as a timely move to reaffirm national values. He also commended Public Bank's support for the initiative as a model for how the private sector can play a meaningful role in preserving and promoting national language, literature, and culture. The Public Bank-DBP Language Prize spans five categories and celebrates high-quality works in the Malay language, produced by students from primary school to university level.
Daily Express
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Do we have the wrong Education Minister?
Published on: Sunday, May 04, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 04, 2025 Text Size: IT is appalling that we have an Education Minister who while admitting English is important, puts obstacles when parents demand that their children need Dual Language Policy classes, as a constitutional right. Not too long ago she condoned the cos play of pupils pretending to be Gaza war victims, thus radicalising them. Now she wants to introduce Asean languages as elective subjects, when what we want our children to excel in are just Bahasa and English. Many wonder why Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar continues to keep her in that very important portfolio. What we are told is that her late dad was Anwar's inspiration. If so, he is placing personal interests above the nation's. What we need is a progressive Education Minister who can make sure that if there are no jobs for our children in Malaysia, they can make a living in other countries. I fear generations to come may not be able to find jobs both at home and abroad, all because of a politicised Education Ministry and its flawed policies and vision. Sabah had better emulate Sarawak on education or lose our support. Promote use of English and Bahasa both as medium of instruction and communication at official level, in the spirit of MA63. The State Government cannot ignore the call for education autonomy, following the amendment to the Federal Constitution reverting the status of Sabah and Sarawak to that of equal partners. Pro-Sabahans The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]
The Sun
27-04-2025
- The Sun
Man advises tourists of service workers in Malaysia being mostly foreigners, highlights language barrier
WHEN traveling, language barriers can be challenging for both tourists and residents, making it difficult for either party to communicate — even for simple matters such as asking for directions. A man recently voiced a similar concern, advising tourists to bear in mind that many of the people they encounter while travelling in Malaysia are foreign workers — particularly if they are inclined to form a negative perception of the country. '90% of the people in the service industry — such as waiters, waitresses, cashiers, cooks — at commercialised restaurants or chains are not Malaysians. The same goes for most of the security guards too. 'So, please don't be quick to judge or blame them. They might not understand English as well as us Malaysians,' he claimed on Threads. The man said he shared these sentiments after witnessing a tourist at a shopping mall asking a cleaner a question, alleging that the cleaner did not speak English and had only learned a little Bahasa Melayu. 'He tried to explain (to the tourist) using the little Bahasa he knew, but the tourist thought he was being uncooperative,' he said. While the man intended to highlight the high number of foreign workers in Malaysia, his post was met with differing opinions, with many users opposing his view. 'This is funny because 90% of my bad experiences in Malaysia are with locals, not foreigners,' one user quipped. 'This is not good advice. There are also Malaysians working in the service industry. As for the non-Malaysian staff, I've found them to be some of the nicest people,' another user chimed in. 'Does it matter whether the workers are Malaysian or not? A bad experience is a bad experience, regardless,' remarked another user. Other commenters, however, understood the man's point of view — with many agreeing that tourists should learn some basic Bahasa Melayu, as it is the national language. 'Their first language is neither English nor Bahasa Malaysia. There's a good chance they didn't receive much education due to poverty. However, the fact that foreign workers speak in Bahasa Melayu is a testament to their effort. Tourists — most of whom only speak one language — need to understand that,' one user observed. 'Everyone was very nice when we visited Kuala Lumpur and Melaka. But it's true — it helps to speak a bit of Bahasa Melayu mixed with English,' another netizen commented.
