KUALA LUMPUR – The inability of some MPs to master Bahasa Malaysia when discussing issues in the Dewan Rakyat was once a heated debate and questioned by many parties.
This is because it is not only the country’s national language but also Parliament’s official language as clearly stated under Standing Order 8.
Apart from that, it is also a “vehicle” for the people’s voices on various issues in parliamentary constituencies to be considered at a higher level.
Based on past experiences, language experts and political analysts are calling for the 15th general election (GE15) candidates to be proficient in Bahasa Malaysia so that such a situation is not repeated in the Dewan Rakyat
Malay language expert Datuk Teo Kok Seng said a good command of the Malay language not only gives politicians the advantage of better communication but, more importantly, enables them to accurately communicate the government’s policies and agenda to the people.
“For me, it is not a political problem but a national problem if a (political) party representative who is appointed party president cannot speak Malay. This is because we must not forget that the Malay language is not the language of the Malays but the national language,” he said.
Teo, who is also Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Ethnic Studies principal research fellow, said a good command of the Malay language among the candidates not only facilitates communication with the local community but also strengthens the language.
This is in line with Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s aspiration to use Bahasa Malaysia in all official matters of the country, including at international conferences.
The caretaker prime minister’s decision is in line with Article 152 of the Federal Constitution which stipulates Bahasa Malaysia as the country’s national and official language, with ministries and government agencies needing to set the best example in strengthening its use.
“For me, we must support it when a political party, especially a non-Malay party, wants to dignify the Malay language by electing a candidate who is truly fluent in the national language. Such efforts should be extended to other political parties as well,” Teo said.
Recently, Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai announced that only those who have a good command of Bahasa Malaysia will be selected as the party’s candidates in GE15.
Sharing similar views, Universiti Malaya Academy of Malay Studies associate professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi sees a good command of the Malay language as the most important requirement for selecting candidates to contest in this election.
“The approach is right because we want the elected representatives to be able to work more efficiently so that there is no lack of understanding of the local language and culture,” he said.
GE15 will be held on November 19 while nomination day is set on November 5 and early voting on November 15. – Bernama, October 27, 2022
