Usaha martabat bahasa Melayu perlu seiring teknologi, kata Ismail Sabri

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob emphasized that efforts to preserve the Malay language must adapt to modern technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), rather than solely relying on nostalgia. In today's world, where technology shapes our lives, the Malay language needs to be part of the technological landscape to continue growing and remaining relevant on a global scale.

According to Ismail, the Malay language must be present in the technological realm that forms modern human life to ensure its continued growth and global relevance. He stressed that if the society wishes for the Malay language to have a place in the future, the development of a Malay language corpus, digital data repositories, and advanced language processing technology that can accurately understand the Malay language is crucial.

A living language is one that evolves together with its society. Therefore, the Malay language must continuously be enriched with new terms, creations, and ideas to respond to changes in human life. In the fields of science and technology, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, digital economy, and information technology, new terms, references, and academic content are needed to enhance our language, he said during the 5th International Symposium on Aspirations of the Malay Language (SAABM) in Kuala Lumpur.

Moreover, maintaining the Malay language should begin at home and within the education system to build confidence in the younger generation regarding the values and beauty of the language. Ismail also highlighted the importance of leveraging regional cooperation among Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore in education, research, publishing, and digital platforms, which would enable local works and ideas to be showcased at the global level.

Ismail stressed that promoting the Malay language does not mean rejecting foreign languages. Proficiency in foreign languages is also essential. Preserving the Malay language does not mean rejecting other languages, as openness to languages and world knowledge will provide us with more space to introduce our language and culture. He expressed the desire for a generation with strong self-confidence in Malay language while also being able to communicate and compete in the international community.