Ismail Sabri: Malay can become Asean's lingua franca

BERA: The Malay language can become the lingua franca of Asean as it is spoken by over three-quarters of residents in the region.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the language was not only widely used in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, but also in parts of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.