BA’KELALAN assemblyman, Baru Bian, is calling for the establishment of a Sarawak Language Ordinance, urging the government to take stronger legislative action to safeguard and revitalise indigenous languages in the state.
He said the proposed ordinance would provide a structured framework to ensure indigenous languages are systematically preserved and incorporated into the education system, warning that current efforts are insufficient to prevent further language loss.
Baru noted that Sarawak is home to 27 indigenous ethnic groups speaking at least 45 languages and dialects, with several already extinct, including Seru, Pegu, Bliun and Lelak.
“Preservation cannot rely on goodwill alone – it must be institutionalised,” he said, reiterating the need for a dedicated legal framework to support long-term language preservation efforts.
He said this in his debate speech on the motion of appreciation to the address by the Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting today.
He added that although the Education Act allows indigenous languages to be taught where feasible and upon sufficient parental demand, implementation has been inconsistent, limiting access to formal instruction in schools.
He said his proposal aligns with the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), which calls for urgent global action to preserve and revitalise endangered languages.
In a related matter, he also urged stronger indigenous data governance efforts, calling on the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre (SAIC) to work with local communities to document and digitise indigenous languages, oral histories, and cultural knowledge.
He stressed that such initiatives must uphold indigenous rights, including free, prior and informed consent, as well as intellectual property protections.
“With its extraordinary diversity of indigenous communities, Sarawak has the potential to become a global centre for research into indigenous customs, cultures and languages,” he said.
