Zam Regrets Some Media Still Using Bahasa Melayu

LANGKAWI, Jun 4 (Bernama) -- Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin is disappointed that some print and electronic media are still using the term Bahasa Melayu instead of Bahasa Malaysia.

He said Bahasa Melayu should no longer be used to refer to the national language after the Cabinet made its decision on the matter in April.

"The Cabinet had made its decision and I had informed the media through Bernama (Malaysian National News Agency) on this. But unfortunately, some media choose to ignore the instruction.

"I also believe that Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka should play an important role in ensuring that the term Bahasa Malaysia be used by everyone," he told Bernama here, Monday.

He said there should be no excuse for any quarters not to use the term Bahasa Malaysia as the language to unite all Malaysians.

"The Indonesians too do not use Bahasa Melayu to refer to the Malay language but use Bahasa Indonesia instead.

"Bahasa Malaysia is for all and not just the Malays, but I regret that there are Malays who are still narrow-minded that they refuse to use the term.

"This has caused prejudice among certain quarters towards Bahasa Malaysia, hence foiling efforts to turn Bahasa Malaysia into a dynamic language," he added.

Zainuddin said there were also those who were more interested in trivial matters instead of focusing on pragmatic approaches for the development of Bahasa Malaysia.

"It is hoped that Bahasa Malaysia is used by all citizens of this country and people from outside too so as to bring it to a higher level," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Me : I wonder what is actually wrong in defining it as Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu. To me, it is still the same. The reason is simple, Bahasa Malaysia is because the language is the official language of Malaysia, and Bahasa Melayu goes for the mother tongue for Malays. So what is there to be rambled about? Defining it as Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu won't give a difference to this racist problem. If not, then why is English Language called as such? It is because it sourced from the Englishmen, the Britons.

If we are to built a real harmony in this multi-racial country, the very first thing to do is to avoid bringing such cases to court. Yep, the court power in high, but the effects are high too. For instance, the Lina Joy case. The Muslims won't agree if Lina Joy's appeal was allowed. The liberalists will stand by Lina Joy if she lost her appeal (and yep, they did that). Thus, the government created an open wound automatically by bringing such cases to court. Would not it be better if someone in the government just tell Miss Lina Joy that apostasy isn't allowed in this country, so please travel to another country, and change nationality and then change the religion status. Would not that be easier?

That is , of course, just a beginning. There is still much needed if we were to build a harmonic multi-racial country. Not by this Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Melayu. Please, stop becoming a laughing stock.

Karaoke 50 jam tanpa henti

Kementerian Pelancongan Malaysia menganjurkan Majlis Citrarasa 2007 mulai 8 Jun ini di Tasik Titiwangsa Kuala Lumpur.

Berbagai aktiviti diaturkan termasuk persembahan kesenian, pertunjukan bunga api dan persembahan artis popular. Menganggarkan lebih 100,000 orang akan mengunjungi majlis itu, pihak penganjur turut menyediakan gerai-gerai jualan makanan.

Menurut Ketua Unit Acara Kementerian Pelancongan Malaysia, Datin Zaiton Mohd. Ali, “Kami juga merancangkan aktiviti berkaraoke selama 50 jam sepanjang tiga hari tanpa henti. Ia akan bermula pada 8 Jun pukul 3 petang dan berakhir pada 10 Jun.

“Kalau program ini berjaya dilaksanakan, ia akan dicatatkan dalam Malaysia Book of Records sebagai program karaoke terlama,” kata Zaiton.

Untuk itu, katanya pihak penganjur mengalu-alukan penyertaan orang ramai. Mereka yang berminat menjayakan program tersebut boleh hubungi Romli Bidin di talian 017-3101288.

Selain itu, pertandingan karaoke yang menjanjikan hadiah lumayan juga diadakan pada majlis yang sama. Untuk menyertainya, khalayak boleh hubungi Inet di talian 019-2484545.

Sementara itu, bagi pengunjung yang ingin menyaksikan penampilan artis popular, satu persembahan nyanyian akan diadakan pada 9 Jun pukul 8 malam di tempat yang sama.

Gandingan penyanyi-penyanyi lama dan baru pada malam itu dijangka akan dapat mencipta kenangan indah kepada pengunjung Majlis Citrarasa 2007.

Kumpulan Ruffedge misalnya akan mempersembahkan lagu-lagu popularnya seperti Lemas, Da Bomb, Bila Rindu dan Secebis Kepercayaan. Sementara Sasi The Don dengan lagunya Hey General, Anbe, Giving Thanks To Jah dan Suatu Impian, Aspalela Abdullah (Pengodaan, Ibunda Tercinta, Joget Memujuk dan Bunga Hati), Amylea AF3 (Joget Sayang, Andai, If I Ain’t Got You dan Ku Berserah).

Selain itu Farhan AF3 juga akan diundang menyampaikan lagu Still got The Blues, Route 66, Aku Saja Yang Tahu dan Dia, Kelvin Lau (Shanghai Beach, Sonata Musim Salju, Kau Ilhamku dan Pencinta Wanita), J.Sham (Suratku Untukmu, Resam Dunia, Ku Akan Pulang dan Di Pinggir Kali) dan L.Ramlee (Ayahku Kahwin Lagi, Dara Pujaan, Siapa Bilang Aku Tak Sayang dan Joget Baju Kurung).

Persembahan artis pada malam itu akan diacarakan oleh pelakon kacak, Fahrin Ahmad.

[Source : Utusan Malaysia Online]

Me : Now this is really stupid. As we are going for Vision 2020, I really can't stand it to see something as funny as this. We are in the middle of so-called globalisation, and yet we are still being kiddies in the eyes of the world. Before this we have already made stupid world records such as longest Keropok Lekor and so on. This is just lame.

We want ourselves to be known as intellectual, and we are known for our good education system. Still, even with such systems, we are not producing first-class mentality, but we are producing these kind of mentality.

I do understand that we need fun and enjoyment, but there must be a limit to these things. It is not about being an ill-socialized geek who had no fun at all, but there must be an end to all this. As we are pursuing other nations to invest in our country with WPI and so on, we are becoming a laughing stock for them as well with these things.

Or yet, is this another signal of so-called globalisation? This is the very reason why some critical-minded Easterners rejects globalisation. They are afraid that with globalisation, we are not becoming global, but we are surrendering our thoughts, minds and actions to the Westerns and agree that their agenda is correct. Booming economy is a thing, but a collapse in our morality is also a thing. This certainly does not go with Malaysian culture. This activity, known in Malaysia as 'karok' should remain as a past time hobby if it was to pass by unnoticed, no more than that.

Proton : Aftermath

Talk to other firms, Proton told

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked Proton Holdings Bhd to start talks with other carmakers on a partnership because Volkswagen AG is not interested.

“I have made the decision that since Volkswagen is not interested in the proposal that Proton wants in terms of the equity participation but they want cooperation in some other form, Proton can begin to talk to others,” the Prime Minister told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting last night.

Besides the German carmaker, US-based General Motors Corp had in the past expressed interest along with French PSA Peugeot SA to work with Proton.

When both the car manufacturers pulled out, Volkswagen became the forerunner.

However, the March 31 deadline to announce the strategic foreign partner of Proton passed without any development.

The Government’s investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, is offering its 38% equity in Proton for sale to save the carmaker from further losses.

Local automotive companies who have been eyeing a stake in Proton include Naza Group, Mofaz Group and DRB-Hicom Bhd.

Abdullah also called on Proton to do whatever necessary to turn around the national car industry.

It was announced yesterday that Proton’s net loss was RM591.4mil for the year ending March 31.

On whether there was a need to revamp the top management of Proton, Abdullah replied: “They have to do whatever is necessary.”

[Source : The Star Malaysia Online]

ME : Whatever is necessary :

1) Bring up all the CEOs of GLC to together help PROTON. Where's KJ this time? He said about Jihad Ekonomi ?

2) Cut their pays, including the top figures.

3) Make surveys of what people would go for their car, and let them have it for a real cheap price ? (Hey, Americans did this when they created their muscle cars)

But then again, I wonder who would eventually 'help' the company, economically. Well, Volkswagen is not going to do it, for sure. Surely people wouldn't want Naza to buyout Proton. So, perhaps Proton will go to Temasek Group ? Nope, we aren't so sure about that, but still that is a potential. Nobody knows.