19 July 2019

“Only Bahasa Melayu beyond this point”

Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Minister Zuraida Kamarudin must clarify the details on her Ministry’s proposal to enact laws to restrict naming of residential areas to just Bahasa Melayu names. Such decisions should be elaborated extensively to the public.  

Besides that, such laws seem to be filled with a racial agenda which absolutely does not fit into Malaysia’s multiracial background, as such extreme ideals risks throwing off the multiracial balance.

Before the laws are set into motion, Zuraida must elaborate on the new policy; The most controversial of it being: “semua taman perumahan baharu menggunakan nama bahasa Melayu” (Berita Harian Online, 15 July 2019), all new residential areas to use Bahasa Melayu names. What does it mean explicitly? Only Malay names? Malay words? What about the local attractions, flora, important figures; are these allowed?

The KPKT should not undertake such questionable policies without seeking the opinions of the public, especially as it can adversely affect the livelihood of the masses. Furthermore, such racial-driven policies are non-constructive, and even destructive to Malaysia’s beautiful multiracial diversity. Adding to that, don’t these policies clearly contradict the New Malaysia, shared prosperity, rejection of racial agendas which was zealously championed by Pakatan Harapan?

On such subjects, the public’s role of check and balance is critical, the public must monitor the Pakatan federal government and submit feedbacks, while the government accordingly upholds the public’s interest. Be it the Barisan Nasional or the Pakatan Harapan government, any government policies should not favour any single ethnic group, but rather they should be all-encompassing and inclusive, without discrimination due to race or religion.

Once again, why hasn’t DAP commented? Are DAP leaders silent in agreement to the proposed policy? Does DAP think that language is just an afterthought? Or, are they actually taking the active role this time, backing the hasty implementation of said policy?  

Datuk Tan Teik Cheng

MCA Vice President

-MCA online-