Writers in a Fix Over Use of Term

DBP disallows use of ‘Bahasa Malaysia’ in their book.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Mon: Hopes of six Indian writers to publish a book have turned sour because they used the term “Bahasa Malaysia” in the preface of their short story compilation.

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The publisher, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), refused to allow the use of the term “Bahasa Malaysia” citing it as a term coined by politicians.

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Its private sector language development division head, Noresah Maharul said, the body adheres to the Federal Constitution which states that the national language shall be the Malay language.

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“The name of the language is Melayu while the term Bahasa Malaysia was introduced mainly for political reasons,” Noresah said.

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But Uthaya Sankar SB, a contributor and compiler of the book entitled Seutas Rantai Loceng Suasa said, the discrimination between the two terms came as a surprise since it has never been a problem.

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“I have been using it (Bahasa Malaysia) in the prefaces for all my books,” he said.

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“There was also a problem pertaining to the title of the book, Vanakam, which was eventually changed,” said Uthaya who works as a part-time news editor at RTM and also a lecturer in Bahasa Malaysia literature in a local college.

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He said the term Bahasa Malaysia has been used widely and is recognized as the term connoting the national language.

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An Education Department spokesman when contacted said, the department is not aware of any legal prohibition discriminating between the two terms.

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Education Minister’s reaction – CLICK HERE

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(Anne Francis - The Sun, 19 October 1999 & Kavya, November/Disember 1999)