Selangor Library Shares Video Of Multilingual Signboards After Criticised For Using English
A netizen was not pleased that the Bangi public library had used English on its neon signboard.
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The Selangor Public Library (PPAS) Hulu Langat District in Bandar Baru Bangi has come under fire for using English on one of its sign boards.
After featuring the word ‘library’ on its neon sign boards, the Bangi public library was criticised by a Facebook user who was not pleased that the sign was not in Bahasa Melayu instead.
As seen in this netizen’s Facebook post, the user felt that the usage of English was not appropriate seeing that the residents were mainly ‘malay muslim bumiputeras’.
“Did you know that almost 90% of Bandar Baru Bangi residents are Malay Muslim Bumiputeras? But why is the public library signage in English?
“Are Bangi residents not fluent in Bahasa Melayu? Let’s tag all influencers so that this issue can be taken seriously. This is damaging our national identity,” wrote the netizen.
The Facebook user seemed to not be alone in his frustrations. Internet personality Khairul Hakimin Muhammad also took issue with the matter, expressing his surprise upon passing the library.
“A big surprise in Bandar Baru Bangi, the Public Library in Bandar Baru Bangi is now named with the English name, library.
“While we are trying to get everyone to use the Malay language as well as possible, this happens,” he wrote.
In a Facebook post later after he himself was criticised for being petty, Khairul elaborated on his stance, saying now that the issue was that the English signboard was bigger than the Malay one.
“In Malaysia, the sign boards in Bahasa Melayu must be bigger than the ones in other languages. If you want to put it in Mandarin or Tamil, it is fine.
“As long as the signboard in Bahasa Melayu is the biggest and most special one. I repeat we are in Malaysia,” noted Khairul.
It is still in BM
Contrary to Khairul’s sentiments, PPAS’s main signage is in Bahasa Melayu. The biggest signage, in fact, is in the national language.
But while some have taken issue with the English sign board, many other netizens did not seem to mind the sign at all.
@selangorlibrary Sepetang di Bangi
♬ Instrumen Melayu – Andijul maruf
Some indeed highlighted that it was reasonable for the Bangi public library to also feature a signboard in English, seeing how this is a common practice among other local public libraries.
As X (Twitter) user @lagacawan pointed out, the Terengganu State Public Library also uses dual language sign boards throughout its vicinity.
Fixed it?
Dewan Bahasa Pustaka (DBP) director-general Dr Hazami Jahari has since weighed in on the issue. As reported by Majoriti, he too appeared to be disappointed with the use of English.
“Something saddening. We are tired of repeating the same advice,” said Hazami, who had advised the library to not use English for its sign boards.
Regardless, both Hazami and the public library have settled the issue, agreeing to a consensus.
Though it is unsure if the sign will remain, the two parties have agreed to continue dignifying the use of the national language through the library.
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