KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, an advocate of Bahasa Malaysia, could not hide his delight after finding out that South Korea included it in some of its signboards.
The move is seen as an effort to facilitate and assist travellers from Bahasa Malaysia-speaking nations, amid an influx of Malaysian tourists there.
Taking to social media, Ismail Sabri said he is “certainly proud” that the national language is being displayed in foreign countries.
“My dream and ambition to internationalise the Malay language appears to have borne fruit,” he said today.
Semestinya saya berbangga apabila Bahasa Melayu berkembang dan digunakan oleh negara asing iaitu Korea Selatan.
— Ismail Sabri (@IsmailSabri60) December 30, 2022
Impian dan cita-cita saya untuk mengantarabangsakan Bahasa Melayu nampaknya sudah mula membuahkan hasil. pic.twitter.com/6toSu37m8E
“Me and other Bahasa Malaysia advocates will continue to champion and uplift the dignity of the language, not only in the country but also at the global level.”
Ismail Sabri also expressed gratitude to the South Korean government for the inclusion and said he views this as a recognition of Malaysia’s efforts to elevate the language.
He was commenting on a news report on a Facebook post by Zakaria Azizi, who shared multiple images of signboards in tourist hotspots featuring Bahasa Malaysia.
The signboards also have other languages, such as English, Mandarin, Japanese, and Bahasa Indonesia.
Ismail Sabri has made it his personal goal to elevate Bahasa Malaysia at the international level.
Among others, the former prime minister had in February mandated the government to use Bahasa Malaysia in countries where English is not the predominant language.
A month later, he proposed the use of Bahasa Malaysia as the Asean grouping’s second official language. He also delivered his official address at the Asean-US Special Summit in Washington in May in Bahasa Malaysia.
The Umno leader did the same again at the United Nations General Assembly in September, making him the first Malaysian prime minister to deliver his speech in the national language at the largest diplomatic gathering held in New York.
His effort to promote Bahasa Malaysia on the international stage has been lauded by academicians, saying it sets him apart from past leaders, given the added value in promoting the nation’s image globally.
The Malay language is currently among the top 10 most spoken in the world. – The Vibes, December 30, 2022
