Language Act was not extended to Sarawak
Published on: Saturday, October 28, 2023
The Federal Government is obligated to accept letters that are written in English in official communications from Sarawak, says state Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Michael Tiang.
SIBU: The Federal Government is obligated to accept letters that are written in English in official communications from Sarawak, says state Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Michael Tiang.
“The Federal Government, in fact, has a duty to entertain English letters from Sarawak for official communications, as the National Language Act 1963/67 was never extended to Sarawak,” he said.
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“Sarawakians are therefore free to opt to use English or Malay for letters to federal government departments since both languages are official languages in Sarawak.
“Particularly the use of the English language in Sarawak which is guaranteed by Article 161(3) of the Federal Constitution.”
He was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive to all government departments and universities not to entertain any letters written in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia.
Tiang, who is also Pelawan Assemblyman, reminded the Prime Minister that English and Malay are official languages in Sarawak.
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Sabah had said it would maintain its optional use of English for all official correpondence until decided otherwise by the State Government.
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