Sabah keeping to optional use of English in correspondence until further notice

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will keep to its optional use of English in all its official correspondence until further notice, says Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Dr Ahemad Sade.

Ahemad said this would be the practice until decided otherwise by the state leadership.

"This (directive) was announced by the Federal Government so, we will look at it in detail," he said, after an event here on Thursday (Oct 26).

The question whether to follow this policy, he said, would be discussed in a meeting with the state leadership closer to or after the state assembly sitting scheduled for the end of November.

"For the time being it is as usual, both languages (Malay and English) can be used," he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had on Wednesday (Oct 25) said official letters sent to government departments must be in Malay.

Anwar said that letters which are not sent in the national language would be returned to the sender.

ALSO READ: Official letters to govt depts must be in Malay, says Anwar

Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Seri Datuk Seri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki subsequently said their state did not intend to follow the directive from the PM to government departments and agencies.

Meanwhile, Sabah leaders had given lukewarm responses to the directive.

Former chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said any new policies should be coordinated first with Sabah and Sarawak before being implemented.

This, Salleh said, was to ensure a smooth implementation, besides bringing benefit to all.

"It cannot be denied that Malay is our national language and we welcome this new policy (directive on all-Malay letters) but the importance of English also can’t be questioned," he said, during an excellence in education event in the Kota Belud district on Thursday.

"This is because English is a widely used global language and must be mastered especially by public servants who deal with those from overseas," he said, adding students must also be proficient in English.

ALSO READ: Federal Govt must accept official correspondence in English, says Sarawak minister

Another former chief minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said a ban over the use of any language, primarily English, other than Bahasa Malaysia in communication with all government departments could be detrimental to the country’s economic development.

Yong said some government departments, by necessity and the nature of their work responsible for dealing with foreign entities and businesses, must communicate in English.

"English is the lingua franca of international trade, communication and diplomacy," he said, in a statement.

"I am not only referring to Wisma Putra (Foreign Affairs Ministry) but also to agencies like the Malaysia Industrial Development Authority, Malaysia Trade Agency and Bank Negara, to name a few.

"Returning incoming mail that is written in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia would also send a negative message to the international community and suggest that Malaysia is not open to foreign investment or trade, and that it is not interested in collaborating with other countries," he added.

Parti Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking said if the current government truly believed in honouring the outset of the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, then the directive should have been issued arbitrarily.

It should only be carried out after seeking the feedback and consensus by the Sabah and Sarawak governments, he said.