KUALA LUMPUR: The use of Bahasa Melayu for all official government transactions abroad as emphasised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Bangkok will open a new chapter to re-elevate its status as the language of international communication.
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Board of Control chairman Prof Datuk Seri Dr Awang Sariyan said the prime minister's statement should be a source of commitment for all civil servants in and outside the country to use Bahasa Melayu with its English translation when carrying out their official duties.
"The Public Service Department in its Service Circular No. 9 of 2011 has mentioned that the use of Bahasa Melayu is encouraged in correspondence matters at the international level with English translation.
"For international agreements, English is used and the Bahasa Melayu translation is made for record and review. The same thing was reissued in Service Circular No. 1 of 2020," he said in a statement.
Earlier, Ismail Sabri during his visit to Thailand said Malaysia will use Bahasa Melayu at every official function it is involved in, including at international meetings, as part of efforts to strengthen the national language.
Ismail Sabri said he used Bahasa Melayu when holding bilateral meetings and joint press conferences during his official visits to Brunei and Cambodia earlier, and now Thailand. - Bernama