Non-Malay Inputs in DBP Malay Dictionary

I refer to the news ‘Consider non-Malay input on DBP dictionaries, says group’ The Star, 29 April, 2011.  As pointed out by Uthaya Sankar SB, President of Kayvan,  I too of the opinion that non-Malay scholars and linguists should be allowed to give their opinion of the words included in the Malay dictionaries published by DBP, especially words that has derived from other languages, like Chinese, Tamil, Iban and Kadazan. This is important so that sensitive words are not included, and even it is included, it should not contain meanings that sound sensitive to the ethnic group concerned.

Currently, we have hundreds of words originated from many languages, from our colonial masters like Portuguese, Dutch and English, and other Asian languages like Arab, Persian, Hindi, Chinese and Tamil in Bahasa Malaysia (BM), the national language of Malaysia. For survival of any language, it needs to borrow words from other languages, especially new concepts, ideas and thoughts that are not available in its culture and language.

After all, what is a dictionary? It is document that records all words that are used by the users of a language at a particular time, whether before, now or in the future. I refer users as anyone who use the language. In Malaysia, all races living in Malaysia are users of BM.

Words like tapau and wade (vadei) spoken widely by all Malaysians, irrespective which language group they belong to, have found their way into Kamus Dewan published in 2005. These words classified in Kamus Dewan as spoken language are actually from the Chinese and Tamil language. 

At this juncture, I also strongly advocate that BM belongs to all Malaysians, not to the Malays alone.  We say BM is the soul of the nation and unifier of the races in the country. How can this be true, when statement like Malay belongs exclusively belong to the Malay race are often said and propagated? All such statements are contrary to the concept of 1Malaysia promoted by our Premier. All should acknowledge that BM is the language of the nation and the soul of the nation. It should not be a lip-say only.

We hope the Kamus Besar Dewan that is to be published soon by DBP will not contain words that could mean sensitive to other races in the country. DBP has previously undertaken such measures in the past. For example, in Kamus Dewan, the 2005 edition,  it is stated  in the introduction of the dictionary that words and phrases that could mean derogatory and sensitive to the races in the country has been omitted in the edition. Indeed such measures are welcomed and appreciated.

In that respect, we hope the opinion of the non-Malay language experts; especially lexicographers and linguists are obtained when dictionaries are complied by DBP. It will be a novel idea if some of them can be included in the publication sub-committee of the above mentioned dictionary.

National Library fund a boon to aspiring writers

AS a writer, I read with much enthusiasm ‘RM2mil fund to help writers’ (The Star, April 24).
It was truly heart-warming to know the National Library has been allocated such a sizeable amount of funds for publishing books in the country.
The book industry in Malaysia as a whole is not a lucrative one.
Aspiring writers face numerous challenges and difficulties in getting their books published.
Even established government publishers, like Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) enforce stringent conditions before books are published.
Although I have published more than five books with DBP, of late, two of my books were turned down by the Publication Committee of DBP, a sub-committee of the Publication Department.
The irony was that no specific or valid reasons were given for the rejections.
Therefore, the announcement by the director-general of the National Library, Datuk Raslin Abu Bakar, surely comes as a relief for established and budding writers.
Writers should be encouraged and given incentives, and not rejection and disappointment.
I believe with such an allocation of funds for writers, and less bureaucracy among publishers, more and more books can be published, thus promoting the book industry in the nation.