KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 ― Amid racial and religious tensions in the country, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim called on Malaysians to start conversing in Bahasa Malaysia as a way to narrow the cultural gap.

The Kelantan-born pointed out to a 50-strong audience at a forum about racism and racial discrimination that the ethnic Chinese in his home state are able to speak the national language fluently.

Indonesia’s ethnic Chinese similarly converse in Bahasa Indonesia, he noted.

“Language is easy; it will, in some ways, bridge the identity gap,” said Zaid at the forum here last night.

Malaysia’s public education system is fragmented with Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction at national schools, but many of its ethnic Chinese and Indians are opting for vernacular schools that teach in Mandarin and Tamil respectively.

The former de facto law minister also told voters to reject racial politics, saying: “You have to select leaders who reject racial affiliations”.