SINGAPORE - The annual Bulan Bahasa, or Malay Language Month, will be going digital this year, with its official launch to be broadcast on Suria at 8.30pm on Sept 5.

Running from Aug 15 to Oct 11, the programme will host activities virtually for the first time in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will feature a series of activities held on digital platforms like Zoom and social media websites.

Organised by the Malay Language Council, it aims to encourage the community to embrace and use the Malay language in their daily lives.

It also aims to instil a deeper appreciation for the Malay culture and promote the preservation of its heritage.

Speaking to reporters at a virtual press conference on Wednesday (July 29), Madam Rahayu Mahzam, the chairman of the organising committee, said that while Covid-19 posed a challenge when the programme was being planned, its purpose to celebrate Malay language and culture remains the same.

"We may find ourselves in an extraordinary situation presently, but this does not stop our effort to continuously promote and celebrate the Malay language.

"On the contrary, we find ways to do it differently and perhaps in the course of experimentation, our Malay language can then enjoy new and renewed levels of meaning, connection and relevance," she added.

One of the activities to be held is a virtual busking competition, where bands comprising three or four members will perform self-composed Malay songs.

The council on Wednesday also announced the appointment of three language ambassadors for Bulan Bahasa. They were chosen for their mastery of and affinity for the Malay language.

The three are geriatrician Nur Farhan Alami, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute senior fellow Norshahril Saat and Mr Sujimy Mohamad, who is the managing director of a digital content creating agency.

Five Malay language notebooks have also been compiled by teachers who have won the Arif Budiman Malay Language Teachers' Award. These will be given out to all schools and programme partners during Bulan Bahasa.

The books will contain writing tips and cover aspects of Malay culture.

Madam Rahayu said the use of digital platforms would potentially allow the organisers to reach out to more individuals.

"People nowadays are more familiar with digital platforms, and they're also open to making use of them to learn. I hope this digitalisation will encourage parents to participate with their children," she said, and hoped that parents would help their children inculcate a love for the Malay language.