KUALA LUMPUR: The hesitation of Malaysians to prioritise and elevate the national language is a perplexing issue, said Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) director-general Dr Hazami Jahari.
He said the situation clearly reflects a colonised mindset and a lack of confidence in Bahasa Melayu, perceived as lacking economic value, standardisation, and quality, Berita Harian reported.
He said this mentality contrasts with the attitudes of developed nations such as France, China, Japan, and Thailand. Even regional neighbours like Indonesia take immense pride in their national language.
"I find it strange and quite shocking. Malaysia is perhaps the most peculiar country in the world—it has its own language but is reluctant to use it.
"Perhaps you've visited countries like France, China, Japan, Thailand, and others.
"In these developed nations, people take pride in using their language, but here in Malaysia, we are very hesitant to use ours," he said during a recent broadcast on Agenda Awani.
Strengthening and Promoting the National LanguageTo further enhance the use of the national language, Hazami said DBP has planned various programmes and initiatives, particularly focusing on the improvement of national infrastructure and literature.
He said under the Madani government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a RM50 million allocation under the 2025 Budget will be fully utilised for relevant initiatives.
"The identity of a nation lies in its language, culture, and arts.
A nation's progress is not solely measured by science and technology but also by its mindset and cultural values.
"Therefore, we must elevate, honour, and empower Malay as the National Language, and this allocation will be utilised to achieve that goal," he said.
Hazami said there was "no harm in allowing the Malay language to evolve through various influences".
A language that does not grow or adapt risks eventual extinction.
"There is nothing wrong with enriching our vocabulary through different sources, whether foreign, regional, or newly created languages.
"In the context of developing the Malay language, the principle is simple: when a word is used frequently across various channels, we document it in the dictionary, and DBP will provide definitions and explanations.
"I want to stress that it doesn't matter who says it—whether the speaker is influential or ordinary—if the term meets the criteria, we record it. In my view, it is beneficial to embrace external sources to support the growth of our language," he said.