RI and Malaysia to expand research on language
RI and Malaysia to expand research on language
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): The Malaysian Language and Literature Board is planning to expand cooperation with universities and language institutions throughout Indonesia.
Board director A. Aziz Dermawan said yesterday that his institution, which is better known by its Malay language name, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of South Sumatra.
The two institutions are cooperating on research into Bahasa Melayu, the basis of Malay dialects spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, as well as in parts of Vietnam and Cambodia.
There are also plans to set up a Malaysian Study Center at the university, which is located in Medan, North Sumatra.
"We are looking into the possibility of similar programs with the University of Indonesia and with Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta," Aziz told The Jakarta Post at his office yesterday afternoon.
The board has already set up cooperation with the Bandung Institute of Technology, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, the Indonesian Publishers Association, and a number of individual publishers like Pustaka Mizan in Bandung, and Gramedia and Gema Insani in Jakarta.
Malaysia's language board, which publishes numerous books, also works closely with the Center for the Development of the Indonesian Language.
Purpose
The cooperation programs are designed to establish standards of spelling, terminology and usage to support the proper use of the Malay language as well as promote the publication of Malay language literature.
The board's work with the Gramedia publishing company focuses on the adaptation of Malaysian publications into the Indonesian language. It is also concerned with the translation of books from English into Indonesia.
Board member H. Ahmad Kamal Abdullah said promoting the Malay language in Southeast Asia is meant to return the language to its importance as a regional means of communication.
"Once, before the colonial powers moved into the region, Malay was spoken as the language of trade all over Southeast Asia and maybe into other parts of Asia as well," he said.
Aziz said that because so many people speak Malay dialects in the region, an effort must be made to standardize usage and spelling.
"More than 200,000 million people speak Malay, which now ranks as one of the world's top 10 languages," Aziz said. (mag)