USAGE of Bahasa Malaysia in private higher learning institutions is not compulsory, says Datuk Yusof Apdal.
The Deputy Higher Education Minister said this was because the operations of private institutions were not publicly funded, hence no emphasis was given to the institutions to use the national language.
“Private higher education institutions are using their own funds to operate.
“So they are given the leeway in the usage of language,” he said in response to Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu).
Jalaluddin had asked if the practice of private higher learning institutions not using Bahasa Malaysia as the main language of operations, including government-linked companies, was against the National Language Act 1963/67 (Act 32).
The deputy minister said the ministry has been empowering the usage of Bahasa Malaysia in public higher learning institutions through several action plans.
“The latest Action Plan on Empowering Bahasa Malaysia as the Language of Knowledge (2023-2030) has been developed to continue this effort.
“Under the action plan, among the objectives include inculcating Bahasa Malaysia as the language of knowledge, to produce graduates who are skilled in Bahasa Malaysia, to realise the language as a medium of national development and to strengthen the role of the language as source of references on par with foreign languages,” he said in response to Zulkifli Ismail (Jasin-PN) who enquired to what extent the enforcement of Act 32 in higher learning institutions.
Yusof also said the ministry has been recognising academics in the field of Malay language since 2012 in the efforts to empower the national language.
