Ex-minister slams push for civil servants to use Bahasa Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR• • Malaysia's former international trade minister Rafidah Aziz has questioned the government's move to force civil servants to use Bahasa Malaysia in international meetings and correspondence, warning the country could become "bureaucratic pariahs in Asean".

She was responding yesterday to comments by the Chief Secretary to the Government Zuki Ali - Malaysia's highest-ranked civil servant - for the Public Service Department (JPA) to consider punitive measures to enforce the use of Bahasa Malaysia in the civil service.

Tan Sri Zuki was reported as saying last Tuesday that he hoped the JPA could examine actions that could be taken against civil servants who take lightly the instructions related to the use of Bahasa Malaysia.

Tan Sri Rafidah said in a statement yesterday: "If this mindset of being inward-looking persists, with even penalties imposed for not communicating with the rest of the world in Bahasa Malaysia, then we will be the bureaucratic pariahs in Asean."

She said that during her tenure in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti), she had asked for all the ministry's communications to be conducted in English to ensure efficiency in the delivery of its services. Ms Rafidah, 78, led Miti from 1987 to 2008.

The civil servants' competence in English used to be a key driver in attracting high-quality foreign investments, she said. "Malaysia was indeed the preferred investment and business destination where communication was facilitated and effective... The vision and reference point was 'Malaysia in the regional and global infrastructure'.

"Not Malaysia in its own 'syok sendiri' (self-indulgent), tiny, self-wound cocoon," she said.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on May 22 that all affairs involving foreign countries, including correspondence, must be conducted in Bahasa Melayu (Malay language). Bahasa Malaysia is the formal version of Bahasa Melayu.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said in March that Datuk Seri Ismail will use Bahasa Melayu when delivering his speech at the United Nations Conference in September, and at the Asean Summit in November.

Previous Malaysian prime ministers spoke in English in international meetings.

Malaysiakini online news reported yesterday that under Mr Ismail's leadership, the government has pushed civil servants to use Bahasa Malaysia along with a translator with foreign diplomats even if they could converse in English.

A civil society group, G25, that includes many former senior Malay civil servants, said in a statement yesterday: "While G25 supports the role and importance of Bahasa Malaysia for creating a united nation between the various races... there must also be recognition of the importance of English as the universal language of the international community."

It added: "Such a draconian approach towards punishing the use of English in the public sector will also look hypocritical because the children of the rich and powerful are mostly products of international schools and universities."