KANGAR, Oct 8 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today launched the National Language Month and called for recognition and incentives for writers actively producing scholarly works in Bahasa Melayu.
The deputy prime minister (picture) said scholarly works in Bahasa Melayu in critical fields such as law, engineering and medicine should be appreciated.
“It is hoped that this approach will drive lecturers in public and private institutions of higher learning to produce such works,” he said at the launch here.
Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said the government had proposed that one of the conditions for promotion of lecturers was the writing of scholarly books or magazines in Bahasa Melayu.
“This is an area of high-impact outcome that should be promoted in implementing the action plan to elevate Bahasa Melayu as a language of knowledge in institutions of higher learning,” he said.
The action plan, launched in 2011, was aimed at, among other things, strengthening Bahasa Melayu in the teaching and learning process as well as in research and publication, he said.
Three years after the launch of the action plan, the result of its implementation had yet to be seen, he said.
“I find that many courses in institutions of higher learning are still conducted in the English Language,” said Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the 2013 National Language Month Main Committee.
Muhyiddin said he realised that critical courses such as engineering, law and medicine had to be conducted in English, but efforts should be made to gradually switch from English to Bahasa Melayu.
“In the pursuit of knowledge, we are not narrow-minded to reject English, whish is an international language, but efforts should be made to accord Bahasa Melayu its rightful place,” he said. — Bernama
