1. Introduction

Do you still remember a famous slogan in Malaysia sometimes ago “No Malay Language, Will be Lost in the Earth”? They said, that word was said by Hang Tuah as a commander of Malay Riau-Johor Kingdom. What will it be if that slogan changed into “Not Malaysia, Will be Lost in the Earth”?

Nowadays, Malaysia is identical with Malay. One of the biggest tribe that becomes nationality of that country is Malay Tribe. The official language in that country is Malay Language too. It is complete to make Malaysia image identical with Malay, but, those two words (Malaysia and Malay) cannot be replaced each other. If you do not believe, you should read a short history of Malay Language below.

2. Short Description

Now, Malay in Malaysia is used by over than 10 million speakers. Malay Ethnic is the majority there (54%). Otherwise, Malay language was legitimated as a Malaysia official language on 1968, almost one decade since that country was free on 1957.

The uniqueness of Malaysia Malay language can be seen especially in the grammar, morphology, and the vocabulary. The study of syntax does not really identify any uniqueness yet. This study is changed slowly from another study.

The erasure of /r/ in the end of the word is done very often in this language, for example the word /kotor/ is spelled into /koto:/, the weakened of sound also happens on opened-syllabus that is in the end; for example the word /apa/ becomes /ap /. Besides, morpheme /ber-/ in Malaysia Malay can be passive verb morpheme; for example /berjawab/ becomes /terjawab/. The vocabulary in Malaysia Malay is also unique; for example /periuk api/ is for /ranjau/ (/fire cauldron/ is for /mine/), /kingdom/ is used for /government/. Beside, the borrowing factor that is different causes Malay spells /bus/; which is from English, into /bas/.

For the dialect, there are eleven big dialects in Malaysia that can be grouped as Malay dialect: North dialect that is spoken in Pinang Island, Kedah, Perlis, and North Perak; Perak dialect itself is spoken in Perak (out of North Perak); Kelantan dialect is in Kelantan; Terengganu dialect is in Terengganu; KL dialect is spoken in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and harbor cities; Negeri dialect is spoken in Negeri Sembilan; Johor dialect is in Johor; Melaka dialect is in Melaka; Sarawak dialect is in Serawak; and Sabah dialect is in Sabah, plus Chinese heredity dialect that mostly spread in Chinese people.

Although Malay ethnic is the biggest ethnic in Malaysia, there are another ethnics that not use Malay language as the mother tongue: Chinese ethnic (25%) and Indian ethnic (7,5%), they have their own mother tongue (Chinese: Mandarin, Indian: Malayalam, Tamil, etc) and also can speak English very well.

3. Malay Language in Malaysia: History

For Malaysian, Malay language is a nationality or national language, not a language for specific ethnic anymore. The existence of Malay language as a national language had happened since the announcement of Malaysia freedom in Malay Federation form on 31 August 1957 because Malay language is the only national language that is mentioned on its nation law. Then, this status is strengthened with the acceptance of Malay language as the official language in that country on 1968. Although on that year English was still used widely, especially by the Chinese and Indian.

The truth, on 1957, the government (that time was named Federation of Malaya) had published a law stated that beside Malay language which was determined as the national language, the English also can be used for the next 10 years, until 1967. But, it could not deaden politic flare the next few years, with the blooding election tragedy on 13 May 1969.

The result was in the early 1970s, to overcome another ethnic jealousy in his country, Tun Abdul Razak who held as a Malaysia Prime Minister, replaced Malay language as Malaysia language. Case number 152 Federation Institution (Law of Federation of Malaya) says that Malay Language is a national and official language of Malaysia, but we have to remember that when the law was made, “Malaysia” term had not been existed yet.

The truth is the formation of Malaysia had been planed by Prime Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman, on 1961. But, that idea could be realized  and came true on 16 September 1963.  On that year, the name of Federation of Malaya changed into Malaysia, with the association of Singapore and North Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak, now called East Malaysia).

The new spelling system of Malaysia language that still be used until now was introduced and used for the first time officially since 16 August 1972.

Finally, on 1990, Malaysia language was used for the first time in an official court. Before, the court used English as the official language. For the beginning, that transition had little problem, but to “sovereign” Malaysia Language as the official and main introductory language, its using has to be used to.

Recently, especially on the middle of 1999, the name of Malay language was lifted to the surface and used again. They said, only the term of “Malay Language” that has been used legally and acknowledged by the country, as said in the law. It is not separated from the role of Board of Language and Library, through one of its editor who got very strong politic support from official Malaysia Government.

4. Position and Function

a. Position

Malay Language in Malaysia has status as a national language. It is one of the important  positions for Malaysia Malay Language. Malay Language is strengthened as national and official language is mentioned in Case number 152 Federation Institution (Law number 152 Board of Federation). The institution is the highest law in Malaysia.

The Case number 152 mentions: The Federation Institution affirms that: “the National Language is Malay Language and therefore it is used for the writing which is needed through the law by Parliament: with the conditions that (a) no one can be forbidden or prevented in using (for the official meaning), or in teaching or learning another foreign language; (b) In this Verse, nothing may lacerate Federation Kingdom right or any rights of  Country Kingdom to keep and continue the language using and teaching from another ethnics in the Federation”.

Indeed, the Federation Institution has acknowledged the Malay language position as national and official language, but its using in official events are not emphasized yet. Thus, on 1963 published the Nationality Language Document that meant to strengthen the position of Malay language as the official language. If the Federation Case does not forbid the using of another language as the official language except Malay language, therefore, this Language Document requires using Malay language in the official and formal events.

“Official means anything related to the Kingdom, same with Federation Kingdom or Country Kingdom, and includes any meaning from the powerful people” from National Language Document 1963/67.

Before it was being acknowledged as the official language, Malay language had been advised to use as introductory language in schools or education institutions. The publishing of Penyata Razak 1956, that only in the level of suggesting the Malay language using as the main introductory language in the learn-teaching process in educational institutions, finally strengthened on Lesson Document 1961 (now is Educational Document 1996).

Thus, the position and status of the Nationality Language are mentioned in:

• Case number 152 Federation Institution
• National Language Document 1963/67
• Educational Document (from Lesson Document 1961)

b. Function

As told above, that in Malaysia, Malay language experiences name changing several times. Early 1700s, Malay Language was named Malaysia Language because of the politic. But recently, Malay Language name is used again. However, that name changing still keeps problems, thus since 2007, Malaysia national language is renamed as Malaysia Language, as the symbol that this language belongs to all of the people without siding any ethnics.

After changing the name several times, as a language that is appointed in nation language, Malay language in that country finally have five main functions: national language, official language, union language, science language, and educational language or introductory language.

The function as national language means that it can be a sense of  togetherness and sense of nationality trigger from every tribes that are exist; Official Language means, it is used for the official events such as in official correspondence, governmental administration, country court and agreement; Union Language can be unity between ethnics, classes, or inherits, and also can be unity between politics; Science Language means it is used in knowledge, science, technology, scientific, and also to realize the equality between Malaysia language and English; and be international language. Meanwhile, Educational Language means using that language as the introductory language at Elementary School, High School, and Universities.

5. Conclusion 

What I have said in the introduction above that Malaysia cannot be equalized with Malay has been a historical fact. Indeed, Malay was one of ethnic and language in Malaysia before. In the Malay language in Malaysia case, politic is an important role in lifting up the dignity of Malay language. The country officially says that the National language of that country is Malay language, not Malaysia language. Although, the politic compromises in the future causes the name of Malay language changed into Malaysia language. This phenomenon has to be acknowledged as the part of Malay language phenomenon in that country.

(TL/ter/2/12-07) 

References :

• www.kompas.com
• www.geocities.com
• www.emedia.com
• www.bharian.com.my
• www.heritage.gov.my
• ms.wikipedia.org 

Translated from Indonesian version by (LA)

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