Upholding Malay Language to Unite 400 Million Malay Population

Pattani, 21 Sya’ban 1437/29 May 2016 (MINA) – Efforts to uphold the Malay language must be intensified by promoting the use of the language in all 10 countries in the Southeast Asian region, said Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zakaria Kasa.

According to Dr Zakaria the Malay language should be placed in the forefront as the language of the ASEAN Community.

“If possible the Malay language should be commercialised as the language of the ASEAN community in their daily activities,” he told Bernama recently.

He was speaking at the 3rd Upholding the Malay Language International Seminar organised by Fathoni University, Pattani and UPSI in collaboration with Thai Higher Education Department and UPSI Alumni in Thailand.

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According to Zakaria, for the first time this year language scholars from Indonesia participated in the seminar which had previously been attended by Malaysian and Thai scholars.

Earlier, former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Wan Muhammad Nor Matha who is also patron of Fathoni University, in officiating the seminar reminded participants on the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the mother tongue.

An Indonesian participant, Prof Dr Markhamah of Muhammadiyah University, Surakarta proposed that the Malay language be renamed as Nusantara language as the name would be more accepted in the region.

Meanwhile Terengganu Education, Science, Technology and Special Tasks committee chairman, Ghazali Taib who was also present at the seminar said the Malay language should be used as a tool to unite the 400 million Malay population in the region. (T/R07/R01)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)