What’s your say? I have something to say about this. What’s the big deal of having Chinese road signs as long that the Malay words are there and the Chinese words are below it? Why make it an issue when there are other pressing matters that you should concentrate on?!?!?
I’m not talking politics now, I’m talking about racial and cultural issues that seemed like some ministers only care about themselves and being racist! For your information, we have Chinese road signs or signboards everywhere in Kuching and there is nothing wrong with it as long that there’s national language on it. It’s something unique and special which I’m very proud of, you can’t see this in KL or many other states in Malaysia. Why is it so wrong to have it in Penang? I don’t see the point. You can read the full news here
Quoted from The Borneo Post
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the Federal Constitution had stated it clearly that Malay is the national language.“All official signs, therefore, should be in Malay. This is part of the social contract agreed upon by our forefathers and I hope no one will try to challenge that,†Azalina told Bernama when contacted.
She reminded those involved the Malays had already compromised many things for the sake of unity but their patience had its limit.
Sorry la aunty… I used to see highly of you but now I have no respect to you anymore! What the heck with the last sentence?!?! The Malays!?!? We the Chinese, the Indians are not Malaysians? It’s more like we are the one that have to compromise many things for you people ok?!?!? We are never treated the same class as you people, we are always the second class citizens! This thing should not happen if we are regarded as MALAYSIANS. We all should have the same rights and not with all the special treatments such as different quotas or share percentage based on our ethnicity. If we are treated as MALAYSIANS, there is no need to state our ethnicity in official forms. Compromise!?!? Patience had its limit? This is really a very insensitive statement to be made by a minister! That is what I called racist and insensitive! Even among our friends of different races, there is no way we will say this kind of thing to each other!
It’s strange that for Malaysians, we called ourselves based on our ethnicity instead of referring ourselves as Malaysians but other countries for example Australia, they will just identify themselves as Australians instead of “I’m a Chinese from Malaysia”, “I’m a Malay from Malaysia” etc. Well… We are brought up this way, what to do?
Quoted from The Borneo Post
Malay language expert Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Nik Safiah Karim said she could not agree with the action as it was tantamount to eroding the country’s national identity.“A country must have its own identity and Malay is the national language. Why should we elevate other languages to be on par with the national language?†she asked.
I’m sorry but I just can’t accept this argument. National language is national language, there’s nothing wrong to have other languages that place with it side by side! If you are so concern about the national language, why don’t all you people talk proper national language instead of going around talking in rojak?!!? Just see how the sessions going on in parliament, goodness gracious! I don’t think I heard of any minister or YB that can use proper national language! This is just not the right argument for not allowing other language to appear on road signs or signboards. As long that the national language is there, it won’t do any harm at all. It’s something unique to portray that our country is multi-racial and everyone accept each other differences.
Quoted from The Borneo Post
Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) secretary-general Mohd Nordin Awang said those involved should be clear about the position of the Malay language.“All the while, there have been no problem with road signs in Malay. Why now?†he said, adding the move had no justification whatsoever as it was merely for political purposes.
“Are the road signs a pressing issue or is there other motives behind it?†he asked.
Mohd Nordin said throughout Malaysia’s 51 years of nationhood, there had been no problems or conflict arising from road signs.
He said the action could also hurt the feelings of the Malays and affect the harmonious relations among the people.
Oh yea?!?! Why is it always the Malays, Malays, Malays? Notice it? We non-Malays are not MALAYSIANS? We are living in multi-racial country, it’s not only your race ok?!?! It’s just road signs, it’s not some political slogans or anything! There is totally nothing wrong with having other language in road signs side by side with the national language! Don’t forget that many words in the national language are borrowed from other languages as well.
Quoted from The Borneo Post
He said such action should be stopped, lest it become a trend.“Today it will be Gerakan. Tomorrow, other parties may also put up their road signs.â€
Tanjong Umno Youth chief Shaharrudin Hassan meanwhile demanded Malay should be the language for all road signs in the area.
“We are not satisfied with the action.
We want the road signs to be in Malay,†he said.
This proved that these people are very narrow minded and still cannot accept the fact that Malaysia is a multi-racial country!
It’s just road signs! What the heck with all these stupid, narrow minded comments or views? Shame on you people, I can guarantee many Malays will feel ashame with you people for potraying your own people this way! I know you just potrayed your own views but not everyone thinks like you and with those statements, you are obviously dragging the whole racial issue and the particular race into your arguments!
From all these statements, it has proven that we, the non-Malays, are indeed second class citizens. Talking about being a Malaysian? What a shame! Malu betul to be associated with these kind of people.
then what about adding jawi words to the road sign? they can others cannot?
aaron, indeed! jawi is not a national language but they add it in also, so? They are so narrow minded.
Its the national language! If other are language also used for everything then whats the point of having Malay as the National language? Its not like the other races are prohibited from using their language but on officila matters use Malay la.. I for one dont want to see a road sign full with multi language like rojak one.
Someguy, well there’s nothing to just have the national language on the signboards and there’s also nothing wrong with having other language on it, the point is that the arguments that were given are too racist if you do read carefully, why all the Malay, Malay, Malay in their argument as if the other races are bullying the Malay? Why can’t they give better arguments instead of dragging in the racial issue? Do you see the big picture or not?
Well think of it like this la.. These ppl are saying malay language.It is Same as how they name the school subject, Which is Bahasa Malaysia SO bahasa melayu being the national language is Bahasa Malaysia.. You are the one assuming it to be a racial issue just because the statement was made by a malay. It is in the constitution that the National language is Bahasa Melayu which gradually being refer to Bahasa Malaysia. The ministers statement regarding testing the patience of Malay is wrong, i agree with you on that but the main point here is it is wrong to say it is a racial matter when it is language that we are dealing with.
[someguy] on the other hand.. what’s so big deal bout having another language on the road sign?
Someguy, see! The problem is that they are not referring to the language at some point, they are referring it to something racial which it’s totally out of the context already. Like you say Malay language is the national language means it belongs to all of us the Malaysians why do they have to drag in the “Malay” as in race and not as in language? I don’t assume that because it’s made by a Malay which in one point you already agree, that’s enough to show that they are not referring to the language.
Someguy if the road signs use chinese only… how u feel leh… not fair rite…
ahlost, he doesn’t like it because it’s messy but if you do it tastefully it won’t, it’s just a matter of how the “designer” do the work.
jimmychin, that for sure la… not everyone understand the chinese word, as long that the national language is there, there is totally nothing wrong and they must design it nicely so that it won’t be messy like what someguy don’t like.
Too bad lar, wait till you become minister then you can do whatever you want lo… haiz…
Please refer to the topic of your post, Road signs in chinese unnecessary? Yes, it is. Because bahasa melayu had been agreed among all races to be the national language. Our national identity.You see its about road signs. Road signs in our country. So it should refect OUR national identity.
“A country must have its own identity and Malay is the national language. Why should we elevate other languages to be on par with the national
language?” she asked.
By having other language along with BM on the road signs, it doesnt reflect BM as our national language. Yes the government acknowledge the existence of other language as well, other races are allowed to use it freely. But on matters like this, it should always reflect our national identitiy.
Its not about racial issue because when it was agreed among all races that BM is the national language, It became bahasa malaysia. It belongs to all of us as much as it belongs to the malay.
Like I said, at one point they themselves drag in the issue which again, you did agree with me.
No one denies that BM is the national language, they still putting up the national language on it, it’s not like they demolish the whole thing and there’s no national language on it. If you see my arguments about that one that you pull out as an example, if they are so into making the BM an official and national language, the ministers themselves cannot even set example, just watch the tv, see how they talk. They themselves don’t walk the talk. How sad?
Besides that, they are not putting the road signs everywhere, it’s only on certain area and the government themselves approved it. So what is the problem?
As for my title of my post that you pointed out, I agree that it doesn’t reflect much on my content which I’m talking about, it’s just a way to attract attention to get people to read further, still the whole things still related with this topic where from this topic, it branches out to some arguments that some how at certain point become some sort of racial.
I do RESPECT your views about BM signboards thing because there’s always bound to have people thinking it’s necessary or unnecessary. For me, all I’m saying is that it’s not a big deal, single or multi-language, it doesn’t matter to me. Nevertheless, I think it’s unique which you do not agree.
I have to stress again and again that this post is about I don’t like how they potray their views on this topic WHICH I REPEAT, you do AGREE with me on some parts of them.
You are welcome to continue to post your view about the road signs, I have nothing else to say about them. If you try to make me agree with you that it’s unnecessary, then you will be wasting your time and energy because I can see that you are targetting on the necessary and not necessary part and I’m targetting on different aspect that indirectly related to the topic. Obviously we both are on different wavelength.
Anyway, I really appreciate your view about else I won’t be taking my time to reply you.
lol.. such a heaty arguement.
hehehe… you want to join? 😛