Use ICT To Develop Bahasa Melayu

Bandar Seri Begawan - The number of Malay-speaking people in the region is much bigger than Japanese-speaking, Korean-speaking or Vietnamese-speaking population, so if these nations can have huge `contents` written in their own language, there is no reason why we cannot in Bahasa Melayu.

This question was posted by Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Communications, during the Language Prime Forum at the International Convention Centre last night.

Among those present at the forum was Acting Director of Language & Literature Bureau, Dr Mataim bin Bakar, Pehin Dato Seri Utama (Dr) Hj Awang Mohd Jamil AlSufri, and other guests.

The socio-political development and the emergence of big power in the 19" and 20" century, Pehin Dato Seri Setia said, has had an effect on the Malay language and the changes brought by the advent of info-communication technology.

In the globalised era and info-technological progress based on knowledge-economy, the ability to become proficient in international languages is a necessity.

It is not a rare occurrence but has become normal for an individual to be bi-lingual. Proficiency in trilingual and multi-lingual languages is an asset not just to the individual who possesses it also to the nation.

In the context of Brunei Darussalam, through the education system, I believe the budding generation is already bi-lingual, that is in Malay and English languages. Some are trilingual, either in Arabic, Mandarin, France, German and others.

The greatness and respect for a nation are earned when it achieves the level of being a developed country and can play in a similar playing field with the developed nations.

We not only aspire to improve our economic progress but also prove to ourselves of our ability in scientific development, technology, communication and other fields.

In this relation, we cannot deny the importance on the role of English language and the international languages as the language of knowledge, said the minister.

At the same time, we need to balance out this progress with the development of Bahasa Melayu that is the pillar of the nation`s identity.

The Bahasa Melayu`s challenge in facing the development of info-communication technology is through `content`, the Pehin said.

In a situation where information printed in Malay medium is decreasing relatively to the English medium, the question is how we can utilise the advent of info-communication technology to the advantage of developing Bahasa Melayu.

The minister also asked whether we can change these challenges facing Bahasa Melayu to opportunities and channel information and knowledge in Bahasa Melayu, for instance, through the Internet.

Source: www.brudirect.com (30 April 2008)
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