WITH Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob insisting on using the Malay language at international events, a veteran newsman urged the former to face reality.
“Let’s face facts. Unless you are the president of Russia, China or the US, the international delegates won’t be in a hurry to put on their earpieces to listen to the translation of your speech.
“Of course, speaking in one’s mother tongue is unavoidable if your mastery of English is not that good.
“One must understand that the international platform is not a place to attempt to become a hero to your voters in the heartland.
“Being understood and respected globally for intelligence and substance is what diplomacy is all about. It’s not about taking to the podium at the United Nations General Assembly to exhibit one’s national language or dress,” A Kadir Jasin said, in a Facebook post.
Since becoming prime minister last year, Ismail Sabri has directed civil servants to use Malay for official functions; both local and international events.
He had also pushed for Malay to become the official language of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
However, Ismail Sabri’s ASEAN push was snubbed by Indonesia, which retaliated by saying that Bahasa Indonesia should be the national language giver their population size.
Adding insult to injury, Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said that the region would continue using English alongside Malay, as national languages.
“I hope (matter) this will be free from polemics. Sarawak, we got our own stand. Go ahead and use English. We will not be penalised for using English. Sarawak civil servants, you can use English. Federal officers, I don’t know lah because your master is different,” The Star reported him as saying yesterday.
Touching on the matter, Kadir said that while he acknowledged Malay being the national language, English has always been the second language in the nation and both have a role to play in Malaysia’s domestic and international relations.
In terms of language mastery, he reminded Ismail Sabri that God created language to ease communication.
“In East Africans countries like Tanzania and Kenya, for example, many of those living there speak Swahili. If you are there and fluent in the language, might as well you communicate in that language.
“But if you don’t know Swahili, then might as well you speak a language both you and the Tanzanians will understand, which would likely be English.
“And I’m certain not many Tanzanians speak Malay,” the former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leader mentioned.
Back to Malaysia, Kadir reminded the Government that Malaysians have been speaking the language for a long time now.
When in Rome…
In fact, he added, the mastery of English among Malaysian leaders used to be so impeccable that the ministers were regularly elected to chair international conferences, with local diplomats leading important drafting committees.
“In addition to our first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and to our fourth prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, we have leaders like the late Tun Muhammad Ghazali Shafie, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Tun Musa Hitam and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being highly sought by the international press for insights and exclusives.
“That was my experience of covering these leaders and many more from the late 1970s right to the early part of the 21st century.
“Sadly, in the intervening decades, we have lost much of that advantage as we now lack ministers who are knowledgeable of global issues and are no longer proficient in English.
“And the problem was made worse by the appointment of low-level politicians as ambassadors,” Kadir concluded. – June 9, 2022
