Bahasa Malaysia It Is. What Difference Does It Make To The Average Malaysian?

So the Cabinet has decided to change the name of the national language once again to Bahasa Malaysia. What does this cosmetic makeover hope to achieve? To the average sod on the road - zilch. The government is the same, their unfair policies remain unchanged and the plundering by those in authority continues unabated. Perhaps some ignorant citizen or a hopeless dreamer may be taken in by this linguistic 'sleight of hand' and vote for the movers of this name change in the upcoming elections. But the question most would ask is why did it take 21 full years for the government to realize the inappropriateness and inaccuracy of the old term of Bahasa Melayu? The truth is that in 1986, in the midst of a recession, the government in an effort to shore up its sagging fortunes decided to suck up to Malay nationalists and squeeze some goodwill from the Malays by changing the term to Bahasa Melayu. The ploy worked as the Malays in general regarded the government move as sure proof of its determination to pelihara ketuanan Melayu in every sense. Please read the following Bernama report on the government's new found 'interest' in setting things right.

The Cabinet's decision in reverting to the term Bahasa Malaysia for the national language from Bahasa Melayu is meant to avoid polemics and to reflect that the language belongs to all races, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "We know Malay is the national language, but we want it to be the language of all Malaysians, regardless of heritage or race. We regard Bahasa Malaysia belongs to all of us, that is the rationale," he told reporters.

He was commenting on a front-page report in The Star newspaper today which stated that Bahasa Malaysia will again be the official term to be used to refer to the national language. Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin was reported to have said that the matter was unanimously agreed to by the Cabinet in April and was aimed at instilling a sense of belonging for the language among the people, regardless of their race.

In connection with the move, all ministries and institutions of higher learning were told to inform the departments and agencies under them to begin using the term Bahasa Malaysia in letters, notices and documents.

The term Bahasa Malaysia for the national language was introduced by Malaysia's first prime minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman after the country's independence in 1957 to inculcate a Malaysian identity. The term was changed to Bahasa Melayu in 1986.

Zainuddin said Radio and Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) had already started to use the Bahasa Malaysia term and that all private television and radio stations had also been instructed to comply.

***** This to me seems like another Umno inspired sandiwara with an eye to appease non-Malays prior to calling general elections. More such 'innovative' changes which lack substance or any real, tangible benefit for the rakyat can be expected to be announced in the future.
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