JAKARTA, Aug 20 – Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim said non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Malaysia and Indonesia should promote Bahasa Melayu-Bahasa Indonesia as a world language to the United Nations (UN).
The adviser to the Malaysian government on socio-culture said the NGOs could jointly raise the proposal with their respective governments at an appropriate time for further action.
At the same time, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and Pusat Bahasa Indonesia terminology committee could expand its role to champion the issue, he said at the 2nd Indonesian Diaspora forum, here, today.
Rais, who is also the International Islamic University Malaysia president was confident that Bahasa Melayu-Bahasa Indonesia could become a world language as it was spoken by more than 300 million people in the region.
“France has a population of less than 200 million, yet French is one of the official languages at the UN, similarly the language of the Russians who number around 100 million. So why not the Malay language of Indonesia and Malaysia except for their distinctive vocal a and e?” he said.
The former information, communications and culture minister said organisations such as the National Writers Association (Gapena, Malaysia) and universities in Indonesia, could initiate the move towards promoting Bahasa Melayu-Bahasa Indonesia as a world language.
Earlier, he said arts and culture were civilisational tools and Indonesia’s initiative to hold the diaspora forum was timely in the preservation of the civilisation of the Malay Archipelago.
Meanwhile, Gapena head Prof Datuk Wira Dr Abdul Latiff Abu Bakar was receptive to Rais’ idea.
He said it was a feasible suggestion as Bahasa Melayu-Bahasa Indonesia was ranked fifth among the most commonly spoken languages in the world.
– BERNAMA
