Malay literary world urged to be multi-racial

The Malay literary world is guilty of confining 'Bahasa Malaysia literature' (Sastera Bahasa Malaysia) to its own community instead of being multi-racial in its approach, wrote Jacqueline Ann Surin in The Star on 12 April 2003.

She quoted Deputy Information Ministry, Datuk Zainuddin Maidin saying that in some ways, the Malays wanted "Malay literature" to belong to them alone; citing a Malay literary figure who had taken RTM to task for broadcasting an Aidilfitri poetry reading by an Indian. 

“They have not been proactive in propagating multi-racial themes,” he said.

Malays wanted to believe Bahasa Malaysia belonged to the Malays, and not to Malaysians, and some even protested when a Christian sermon was delivered in Malay. 

Describing such attitudes as narrow-minded, chauvinistic and ultra-nationalist, Datuk Zainuddin said: “I can’t stand this.” 

Datuk Zainuddin told reporters in Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur that he had spoken to the Malay literary community before and found very few of them supported his views. 

“Non-Malay communities also have a love for Bahasa Malaysia poetry,” he said, expressing the hope that Malaysia could produce many non-Malay literary figures.

Kavya, May 2003