LANGUAGE:
The issue of language is always the most important factor in determining the true identity of the nation. This matters becomes even more important the moment country is free from her colonial matters. For Malaysia, this matter first arose more than 40 years ago when Malaysia was on the threshold of independence. The leader of thr country dicided that the future independence Malaysia must have an official language to replace the English language that was the language of administration since the British rule after the Second World War.
The needs for a National Language that becomes thr language for general communication and the language was realized to be important for uniting the people of different ethnic origin, each with their own spoken language. As such the leaders who where going to lead new independent Malaya agreed that ' there should be embodied in the Constitution a National language' (Razak report,1957). The language that was agree upon to become the National language was the Malay language that later, until today is known as the Malaysian language. This decision is recorded as Artikel 152 of the Malaysian Constitution.
THE RATIONAL OF THE CHOICE:
Why and how was the Malay language finally chosen as thr national and official language of the country?
Actually it was not difficult to come to that decision. However, the leaders from all the races had discussed the issue at length. All the parties had no difficulty in agreeing upon the suitability of the Malay language as thr National language on the following rationale:
1. The Malay language was the lingua franca in the region for centuries. It was widely used during the golden age of Malacca. At that time traders and merchants from different countries used the Malays language in their business transsaction.
2. The Malay language, compared to other langguages in the region is very easy to learn. By Independence, the Malay language was already widely used among the communal groups. Futhermore, the native speaker of the Malay language far exceeded the speakers of any other language at that time.
3. The Malay language was more solid from the point of view of terms and pronunciation throughout the country. The bulk of the term used in all the states are the same, it is only the pronunciation for some of the words that is different in one or two states. The others languages on the other hand, the Chinese language for example, has many dialects that are very different so that different dialectal groups find it easier to communicate with one another in the Malay language.
4. The Malay language used the romanised letters besides Jawi. Romanised writing had been widely used by all communities since the used of the English language.
5. The structure of the Malay language has clear phonemes, that is, syllables that are easy to spell based on fixed and firm principles.
The featutes mentioned above provided for the easy acceptance of the Malay language as the national and offical language of the country. Generally, the non-Malay citizens had no problem accepting the decision since its proposal. Hence, the Malay language that was already widely used, compered to other local language at that time, grew in popularity. The decision to make the Malay language the National Language did not worry the other races because the used of their own mother tongue was allowed.
Today and since a few years after independence, the user or speaker of the national language would perhaps have noted that since the decision had been recorded in the Constitution, there has been no serious problem experienced by anybody. It is strange that the parties that worried finally benefited; the parties that were proud only remain so. What is meant is that the Malay who prided in their language becoming the national language continue to be satisfied that the true national identity is based on their mother tongue. Other communities such as Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban and others who were earlier anxious that the use of the Malay language would weaken their cultural heritage actually benefited because today they are proficient in the Malay language as well as in their own mother tongue.
Malaysian Studies : Nationhood and Citizenship.
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