Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim states official correspondence to government agencies must be written in Malay.
According to the prime minister, government agencies will return letters that are not in the official language.
“I want to remind the public and private sectors of the directive that those who correspond in a language other than the national language, their letters will be sent back,” he stated.
The Star reported, during the Multimedia University’s Karnival Dekad Bahasa Kebangsaan and Dekad Membaca Kebangsaan premiere on 25 October. Anwar stated that there is a lack of clarity regarding the importance of emphasizing the use of international languages.
“But there is an attitude taken which oversteps and deviates among some government departments, universities and private universities including the private sector which attempts to abandon the basis of the Constitution with regard to communicating with the government in the national language,” he stated.
Anwar said that the order was important. Thus, the Civil Service Department will be issuing a more detailed directive soon.
The Prime Minister emphasized the significance of the decision. Saying that further clarification would be forthcoming from the Civil Service Department.
Anwar underlined that he was emphasizing the usage of the national language. Rather than adopting a restricted perspective on the issue.
“I remind my friends that I would not have lectured at Washington University if I had not mastered the English language. But rooting down to earth and championing of the national language is something intimate in nation building,” he added.
He encouraged the younger generation to cultivate the reading habit, which has suffered recently due to the rise of social media.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim states official correspondence to government agencies must be written in Malay.