KUALA LUMPUR – For many who are not native speakers of the national language, learning Bahasa Malaysia can be quite daunting.
But for Seremban boy Anthony Loke Siew Fook, mastering Bahasa Malaysia at a very young age has made him appreciate the language even more.
And unlike many of his party peers or others from similar racial backgrounds, the DAP secretary-general considers Bahasa Malaysia the language he is strongest with, even more so than his mother tongue.
“I feel proud that I can master the language. I think my best language among the three is actually Bahasa Malaysia, followed probably by English and Mandarin,” he said during a podcast session with The Vibes.
“From my primary school days, I was educated in Malay. And the moment you master the national language, you begin to appreciate its importance.”
For Loke, the language has been crucial for him to communicate with his Malay constituents, which make up half of the voters in Seremban.
“In the past, people say knowing Bahasa Malaysia is not important because its use is only limited to Malaysia and, to a certain extent, Indonesia. But as a politician, I find it very useful when I communicate with my Malay constituents.
“The moment you speak their language, you earn their confidence and respect. So as far as non-Malays are concerned, sometimes I think it’s very important, especially for politicians, to master the Malay language.”
The former transport minister also recalled how he had been advised by those around him to learn and master Mandarin when he first joined politics, having had no educational background in the language growing up.
He responded to these critics by saying that his priority as a politician is to instead have a better command of Bahasa Malaysia, the official language used during state assemblies and Parliament sittings.
“When I first started as an assemblyman, I couldn't speak Mandarin properly. So, when I was invited to Chinese society functions, I couldn’t really deliver speeches in Mandarin.
“Of course, some people say ‘you are a Chinese politician, you must be able to speak in Mandarin’.
“But I said the first requirement is to speak in Malay, because when you are an assemblyman or MP, you have to speak the language when you enter the Dewan, not Mandarin.
“I’m not saying Mandarin is not important. Along the way, I picked up Mandarin as well. I went for classes and tuition so that I can converse in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, and English.”
Loke has been assemblyman since 2004, serving two terms each in Lobak and Chennah.
He is also a three-term parliamentarian, serving one term in Rasah from 2008, and representing Seremban since 2013. – The Vibes, July 15, 2022
