KUCHING: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim’s remark that Malaysians who cannot accept Bahasa Melayu (BM) as the national language should live elsewhere has sparked intense public discussion.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 parliamentary session on Monday (Jan 19), the King emphasised that any new education system must align with national policy, with BM as the main language.
The remarks came amid ongoing debates about recognising the Chinese independent school-run Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) across the country.
Sarawak Tribune spoke to a few individuals to get their views.
NAJEEHAH MAHIDIN, 28, STUDENT:
The national language is undoubtedly important. However, with the passage of time, many young people have lost the ability to speak BM correctly, including ethnic Malays themselves.
For other ethnic groups, this is perhaps understandable given their environment, where code-mixing is common.
Nevertheless, in formal contexts, BM remains essential. That said, for this policy to be sustainable and effectively implemented, stakeholders must first establish a strong foundation in upholding the Malay language themselves before expecting the public to follow suit.
NAOMI SARA, 25, RETAIL EXECUTIVE:
BM is of paramount importance and should rightfully be prioritised.
However, this should be inculcated from the kindergarten level onwards, irrespective of whether the institution is a government or private school.
Parents also have a crucial role to play in this matter, particularly as modern-generation parents frequently communicate with their children in English.
NURFARAHIN OKI, 26, SELF-EMPLOYED:
Given that we reside in Malaysia, we ought to use the national language. The use of other languages is not an issue.
What becomes problematic is when individuals fail to acknowledge or refuse to accept that BM is the official language of Malaysia.
Regardless of reasons or excuses, residing in Malaysia necessitates an understanding of the national language. The same thing applies when we arrive in other countries, that we use their respective official languages.
