KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today outlined several initiatives to be implemented by the government to further strengthen the use of Bahasa Malaysia in the country and elevate the position of the national language at the international stage.
"To my knowledge, there are no restrictions imposed against our ministers from using Bahasa Malaysia when attending events abroad.
"Therefore, I have instructed all Cabinet members to use Bahasa Malaysia when attending conferences or bilateral meetings abroad," he told the Dewan Negara today.
Ismail Sabri said ministers, however, must inform early and make the necessary arrangements with our mission office or the embassy at the respective countries which they will be visiting prior to the trip.
"This is to enable our embassy to inform the organiser of the event and make the necessary arrangements such as preparing translators," he said.
To a suggestion from Senator Zurainah Musa for Malaysia to streamline the use of Bahasa Malaysia among leaders from Asean member countries, Ismail Sabri said he will discuss the matter with his Asean counterparts.
"Insyallah, I will raise the matter and discuss it with Asean leaders especially those who are already using Bahasa Malaysia. I will discuss with them to make Bahasa Malaysia as the second language in Asean (region)," he said.
The government through the Foreign Ministry, said Ismail Sabri, will also set-up a language and culture unit at all Malaysian embassies operating abroad in its efforts to uphold Bahasa Malaysia.
"In fact, there will also be a culture and language attache' at all our embassies abroad," he said.
He has also instructed the ministry to organise Bahasa Malaysia classes at all Malaysian embassies for diplomats posted abroad and family members especially their children who are accompanying them during their posting.
"We realise there are children of diplomats who are not that fluent in Bahasa Malaysia.
"This is because they spent most of their time growing up attending international schools since their parents are affected by cross-posting exercises (did not return to Malaysia before being deployed to their next posting).
"As a start, these Bahasa Malaysia classes will be held for diplomats and their children before it is expanded to Malaysians who are residing abroad. This is to ensure they remain fluent in our national language," he said.
On the domestic level, Ismail Sabri said the proposal to amend the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Act 1959 is to enable the government agency (DBP) to take action against violations of Bahasa Malaysia at the district, state and federal levels.
The existing Act, he said, did not accord any power to the DBP to carry out enforcement related to violations of Bahasa Malaysia.
"There are places and locations being named as if we are in other countries.
"And the existing by-laws did not allocate the power to municipal or city councils to change the names.
"Through the proposed amendments, we want to enable the DBP to enforce and take any action against violations in the use of names (of locations)," he said.
Ismail Sabri said he has also instructed the Higher Education Ministry to make Bahasa Malaysia a compulsory subject for foreign students studying at universities in Malaysia.
"Indirectly, the students will bring home our national language when they complete their studies here," he said.
During the recently concluded 2021 Umno general assembly, Ismail Sabri in his winding up speech had announced that the government would amend the DBP Act.