MINISTER CALLS ON RADIO, TV STATIONS TO ENSURE CORRECT USE OF MALAY LANGUAGE

JELEBU (Malaysia), April 27 (Bernama) -- The Information Communication and
Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim Wednesday called on all radio and television
stations to ensure correct use of the Malay language in their programmes, dramas
and quizzes.

He said they need not fear about using the correct Malay language as the
language was as good as any other language including English.

"We have to use the Malay language in our official meetings and there should
be an effort to have one day in a week where everybody should speak correct
Malay language," he told reporters at the WiFi Village Day celebration at Felda
Pasoh 3 Community Hall, here Wednesday.

Rais also called on the private sector to use the correct Malay language in
their transactions so that more people would realise the high value placed on
the language.

"I have personally been deluged with letters, written in English, from the
private sector and with all due respect, I will answer them in Malay language.

"It hurts to know that after all this while being an independent country, we
appear to remain under the British influence," he said.


Rais was commenting on the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's
remarks Tuesday that certain quarters in the country, especially the private
sector, appeared to be ashamed of using the Malay language.

On other developments, the minister also announced that Negeri Sembilan had
recorded the highest broadband penetration rate at 67 per cent as compared to
the average of 57.9 per cent in other states in Malaysia.

He said it was made possible through the participation of the villagers in
Negeri Sembilan in embracing the technology.