KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Actress Ellie Suriaty, who kicked up a storm over the usage of languages other than Bahasa Malaysia in official government communication, was back at it this morning at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.
Insisting that only Bahasa Malaysia be used in official press conferences and statements, she told reporters: “If you are talking about the unity of Malaysians, it is through the language. It’s nation building through the language. What is the problem?”
The remark stemmed from a question from reporters over the commotion that erupted during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s indictment on July 4 when Attorney-General Tommy Thomas was heckled by the former prime minister’s supporters demanding the press conference be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia instead of English.
The remark stemmed from a question from reporters over the commotion that developed during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s court date on July 4 when Attorney-General Tommy Thomas was harassed by Najib’s supporters for wanting to conduct a press conference in English instead of Bahasa Malaysia.
Ellie was today also among supporters of the former prime minister who turned up at the court complex where he faced additional charges of money laundering.
The 11-member prosecution team today was led by Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria; Attorney-General Tommy Thomas was absent from the courtroom proceedings in Najib's money-laundering charges.
She then raised past instances of ministers in the current Pakatan Harapan government whom she accused of challenging the Federal Constitution by using languages other than the national language, naming Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran.
“They have to understand they took an oath in front of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, so they have to respect the Constitution and not challenge it,” she said.
Lim was criticised for issuing a media statement in Chinese, after issuing statements in the national language and English; while Kulasegaran was roasted for using vernacular in a speech at a Tamil school.
Also present was Umno politician Datuk Lokman Noor Adam and a fellow Najib supporter who gave his name as David Goh.
Goh said that at official functions, if only one language is used, it has to be Bahasa Malaysia.
“The case involving Najib is of national interest, it is only right that all forms of communication with regards to the case be in Bahasa Malaysia.
“It is the language of all Malaysians, an Attorney General who cannot speak Bahasa Malaysia is a joke,” he said.
The 11-member prosecution team today was led by Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria; Thomas was absent from the courtroom proceedings in Najib’s money-laundering charges.
Lokman today told the press that demonstrators who chanted “Hidup Melayu” on July 4 at the court complex were merely asking for the AG to use the national language instead of English.
“The word Melayu means Malay. They were asking for Bahasa Melayu.
“It was not them demanding for Malay rights, that everyone has to be clear,” said Lokman.
