Promote BM globally, says Abdul Ghani

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JOHOR BARU: The Foreign Ministry should appoint a special attachè at all Malaysian embassies to help promote Malay globally.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the officer should be knowledgeable in the Malay language, culture and heritage.

“The attachè should organise Malay classes at the embassies and can also assist in the economic, education and military fields,” he said in his speech before launching the Bahasa Melayu International Convention here yesterday.

Sign language: (From left) The conventions participants, Prof Madya Dr Victor Pogodaev (Russia), Prof Wu Zongyu (China), Kyoko Funada (Japan), and Prof Dr Hasanuddin WS.M.Hun ( Indonesia) talking with Abdul Ghani at the launch of the Bahasa Melayu International Convention in Johor Baru Monday.

Abdul Ghani said the attachè could initially be assigned to Malaysian embassies and consulates in Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the Philippines and Cambodia.

“These places have a rich history of contact with Malay explorers who have left an impact on the local languages,” he said.

About 300 participants from Japan, China, Indonesia, Russia and Singapore, as well as locals, are taking part in the convention.

“A total of 50 working papers are expected to be tabled by academics and language experts,” he said.