Wee Fook Seong, 34, affectionatelly known as Pak Wee, and his wife Goh Zhi Xuan, 27. - Photo: Bernama
BATU GAJAH: It is common to see people of other races speaking Malay in the country, but Wee Fook Seong is not only fluent in the language but speaks it in the Perak dialect (Loghat Perak).
Wee's ability to speak the language flawlessly in the local dialect has made him a social media sensation, gaining him 300,000 followers on TikTok.
The 34-year-old Pak Wee, as he is affectionately known, who runs a car accessory shop in Taman Saujana here, even taught his wife, Goh Zhi Xuan, 27, to speak the Perak dialect, which he posted on TikTok, much to the amusement of his followers.
When met by Bernama, Pak Wee, who hails from Lasah, Sungai Siput, said he grew up speaking Malay and the Perak dialect most of the time as he lived in a Malay-majority area.
Pak Wee and his wife sharing a light moment with their youngest son, who is a year old. - Photo: Bernama
"My father was a Felda Lasah settler, so I definitely grew up in the Malay community, and this has exposed me to a harmonious atmosphere in society.
"When I was in kindergarten, I often mingled with my Malay friends. From there, I picked up some Malay words and learned the meanings of phrases I didn’t know.
"I went to Chinese primary and secondary schools after that, but I never lost my interest in the Malay language and the Perak dialect,” said Pak Wee, who also regularly shares car maintenance tips in Malay on his Facebook page.
Pak Wee also shared his experience of being mocked by his Chinese friends for speaking Malay, to whom he explained that learning the language was a good way to bring people of different backgrounds closer together.
"I watch Malay movies and listen to talks by Ustaz Azhar Idrus, Syamsul Debat and others to better understand the Malays' diverse cultures and way of life.
"I also like to read books in Malay, and I’m comfortable using this language in my daily life now, I’m even slowly using it with other family members,” he said.
The father of four said the ability of different ethnic groups to speak Malay fluently reflects the harmonious relationship between Malaysians.
He also said that there is a need to change the perception of the Malay language in order for all levels of society to be able to master it.
"People used to think that the Malay language was only for Malays, but the truth is, this language is for everyone.
"If you’re not Malay but can speak Malay well, that’s a plus, and vice versa. In fact, a lot of Malay people can now speak Chinese very well.
"We can see the Chinese community in Kelantan and Kedah speak the local dialects very well, but that doesn't change anything about who they are or what they believe in,” he said.
Pak Wee added that every person born in this country has a part to play in empowering the usage of the national language.
"...the national language is not just a language, but also a symbol of Malaysians' personality and identity. - Bernama
