KENINGAU: The government has always ensured that the national language would be widely used in the field of education from primary school to university, in the administration, the judiciary and others, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman.
Musa also urged citizens of public higher education centres, particularly the lecturers, to demonstrate their commitment to the use of the national language.
“This call is actually not something new, as I’ve said so in the past, and this has been proven to be successful, not only in terms of producing quality graduates, but also in terms of producing scholarly books, research and thesis for undergraduates, masters up to doctorates of philosophy,” he said in his speech for the launching of the state-level National Language Month at the Teachers Education Institute Keningau campus hall here yesterday.
Musa, who was represented by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Arifin Mohd Arif, called on the civil servants, especially heads of departments, to play a role in enhancing the use of the national language in their respective departments.
“In line with the policy of upholding the Malay language and strengthening the English language, the Malay language has been made the language of instruction in all national schools, including science and mathematics subjects.
“Efforts to make the Malay language as the language of knowledge will be doubled if academics can be encouraged to produce more writings in the Malay language. In addition, the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books has been empowered to translate more international works into the Malay language,” he said.
Musa said training and courses in the Malay language operated by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and local universities should be increased.
He said the government also intends to send the Malay language teachers abroad to train Malaysians overseas in efforts to expand and strengthen the national language.
He hoped that scholars who have produced scholarly works in the Malay language, especially in critical areas such as medicines, law and engineering will be given recognition and awards.
“This approach is expected to encourage lecturers in public and private higher education institutions to produce more works in the national language.
“The government intends to recommend that one of the conditions for the promotion of lecturers would be the writing of a book on scholarly or scholarly articles in the Malay language.
“It is an area of high impact where the outcome should be driven by the higher learning institutes in implementing the action plan to uphold Malay language as the knowledge language in higher education,”he said.
According to Musa, the question of strengthening the national language should not be borne by educators alone, but should also be supported by the people. For the pluralistic society in countries like Malaysia, understanding, tolerance and openness should underpin any linguistic and educational programs.
Musa also suggested that National Language Month should have embedded nature programs that involve multi-racial unity, regardless of the level of the school up to adult.
“I hope in the years to come, there would be a group of non-Malays who can implement their own programs characterizing the national language and literature. This is the two-pronged push by the government in the National Language Month which places national language in high places and bind national unity through language.
“The philosophy espoused by the National Language Month spirit should be translated into the real world so that the objectives of the National Language Month can be fully realized,”he said.
About 2,000 people attended the launching ceremony, including State Public Services Department director Datuk Nordin Siman, Teachers Education Institute Keningau campus director Rujinah Miki and DBP Publication Section director Padilah Haji Ali.
Various presentations were also held by Teachers Education Institute Keningau campus trainees and students of SK Biah, among them were a choir performance, cultural dance performance and recital of Loyalty Language pledge.
Three restaurants also received the Citra awards.