a beginning of an awesome adventure!

a beginning of an awesome adventure!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Lets Make It Clear

Since tomorrow is going to be BM day, we should make one thing clear. I think I was having a debate with one of you about BM being Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia. I guess now we can make it clear. From The Star Newspaper online portal today:


Back to Bahasa Malaysia

newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Bahasa Malaysia will again be the official term to be used to refer to the national language.

In a unanimous decision last April, the Cabinet felt that reverting to the term Bahasa Malaysia would help inculcate a sense of belonging for all citizens irrespective of race, said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.

All ministries, public universities and local institutions of higher learning have been directed to inform their relevant departments and agencies to begin using the term Bahasa Malaysia in letters, notices and documents with immediate effect.

It is understood that the heads of the various ministries are sending out these directives following the Cabinet order.

“The Malay language belongs to Malaysians of all races and not just the Malays. The term Bahasa Malaysia would instil a sense of belonging,” Zainuddin told The Star yesterday.

He said the term Bahasa Malaysia was introduced by Tunku Abdul Rahman after the country's independence to inculcate a Malaysian identity.

“It was generally accepted and no one asked for a change until (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim became the education minister (in 1986).

“He dropped the term Bahasa Malaysia for Bahasa Melayu and it has remained that way. But now, we feel we should go back to the original term,” he said.

“RTM will use the term Bahasa Malaysia to refer to the Malay language from now. I have also instructed all private television and radio stations to comply.

“All newspapers, irrespective of language, will also have to refer to the language as Bahasa Malaysia,” he said.

By using the term Bahasa Malaysia, he said a psychological barrier would be removed, not just for Malays but also other races.

“The Malays, for example, must not see Bahasa Malaysia as a language used (solely) by themselves. If Malays truly want to promote the language regionally or globally, they should not be worried if others use it for religious reasons such as their books and sermons.

“Similarly, non-Malays would also not see the language as a Malay language but a language that belongs to them,” he said.

Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the move “is to show that the language does not belong to just one race.”

“This is for national unity,” he said.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the decision was most timely “as we celebrate the country’s 50th national day”.

“The term Bahasa Malaysia is more appropriate as it will build a greater sense of nationalism for all Malaysians,” Chan, who is also MCA deputy-president, said.

Concurring, MCA secretary-general Datuk Ong Ka Chuan said the term Bahasa Malaysia was an original one was accepted by most Malaysians.

Okay, so it's been Bahasa Melayu all these while, but I have always been referring to it as Bahasa Malaysia, because rightfully, it is not just the language for the Melayu but for all Malaysians, regardless of race. It's good that they made it clear now.

Oh yeah, Uncle Lim has a few words about this switch.

INTERNAL AFFAIRS: Some of you have left draft post unpublished. Please delete them if you no longer wish to publish them.

3 comments:

V|vac|ous said...

Well Done GREGS ! I remember initially being put off to support a Melayu language when we are all Malaysians but Malaysians being Malaysians are a fickle lot.

I can still remember when they changed it in school we were told by the Melayus that they wanted their own language since the English had theirs etc etc... but then i said its not called American English and Australian English etc etc I guess they were too durrrr for such a come back from a very young cub. That time primary school summore.

Then I and other nons were called bangsa asing by this teacher never forget her name Pn. Faridah Zuki BUGGER $$%%$^£%^^ so immagine the impact on a young cub like me thinking that im bangsa asing but i stood in fron of the whole school did the irkar on mondays and raised the flag. Which i was very proud because when the song ended my flag wld reach the top so tepat tepat la !!! takes telent ok ! So I was very hurt ! Everytime she call us ''yang banga asing macam mana?''

Pissing off man we were all here eons before merdeka so were not and prob her family came from indon after mine so maybe shes more of an asing.
Anyways Im inserting a very spot on comment from Our Uncle Lim’s blog

1. cklife Says:
June 4th, 2007 at 7:30 pm

The real Bahasa Melayu is actually Bahasa Indonesia.
There’s actually no such thing as Bahasa Melayu.
The Bahasa that we used daily.. is actually a hybrid of Bahasa Indonesia and mixed with a wide range of words taken from English, Chinese, Indian and etc.
Hence, it should be Bahasa Malaysia.

Or, why not call it BAHASA NEGARA?
Like in China, they call their language, ‘Guo Yue’ which means National Language. Instead of ‘Hua Yue’ like we used here which means Chinese Language.
It’ll be nice to just call it BAHASA NEGARA.
I love that.

Thats all folks xoxo

Greg said...

Even in parliament today our MPs, ironically referred to as Yang Berhormat refers to non-malays as kaum pendatang asing.

We even have an MP who can tell you to leave the country if you don't like the way things are here in Malaysia.

Now you can see who is getting in the way of the creation of a Bangsa Malaysia.

lick knee. said...

i guess i took up on that MP's offer eh?

we'll roarsss ur socks off!!! AUUUUmmmmmm