Unspeakable 'Bahasa Melayu'

Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language) or Bahasa Malaysia, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. It is an official language of Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. Malaysians are easily identified due to the fact that they change their speaking styles in accordance with the person being spoken to. They may adopt a completely different slang and accent when speaking to someone of a different race, or of a similar race. This is not, however, a form of discrimination -- it is considered casual and endearing.

Nowadays, not many Malaysian really use this language as their day-to-day communication icon. We can even meet Malay who can't really communicate via their mother language. Why is this happening to us? Couple of days ago, the Award Winning Actress, Sharifah Amani had been criticized over her speech of I sound like stupid if I speak malay in the Malaysian Film Festival. Well, it's really not neccessary for us to blaim youngsters of being over reacted and their forgetfulness in using Bahasa Melayu but we should blaim ourselves whose everyday tend to beautify other language more than ours. Infact everyday we can see Politicians appear in TV speaking in other language, businessman talking about profit using other language and an artiste tend to speak in other language (trying so hard). Why can't we just proud of using malay? Sometimes, Malaysian (including me)feel like speaking in other language will make them look reputable, hence earn more respect from the listener.

Believe me, this language will become like other ancient languages which had been vaporised from this world if we keep on fading it away from us. Upon rediscovering the Malay Language, certain imported words came up. First, it was “previu.” After that, “bajet” came up out of nowhere. Later, the word “polemik” came to surface. As if those words aren’t enough, like rabbits, a whole gamut of them started to jump out from their burrows. One naughty rabbit is called “akauntabiliti.” Another impeccable furball is known as “integriti.” That black rabbit is named “transparensi.” And don’t forget, our little cuties - “profil,” “kontroversi,” “emosi,” “posisi,” “cif,” “propisi,” “kondisi” and “ambisi.” And who knows what else in the store (taken from cicak.com). Do all these words neccessary? It won't make people proud through importing foreign language to be used in bahasa melayu. Something that government should give their concern more in Ninth Malaysian Plan.


Mosyaf: I myself blogging in English........