The Kedah state government must carefully think through and study thoroughly its proposal to increase the number of Malay words which non-Muslims are prohibited from using from the current 24 words to a proposed 55 words. It is feared that the proposed ban will limit the usage of Bahasa Malaysia.

Language and words are communication tools. If certain words of a particular language are strictly for usage by a particular group and out of bounds for others, then the racial gap is set to widen, thereby being detrimental to national unity.

At a time when the government is working hard to increase the usage of Bahasa Malaysia at the national and even international levels, the restriction of its usage imposed by states due to religious or even political considerations will only slowly but surely make Bahasa Malaysia a language only for Muslims.

What options does a non-Muslim have when he needs to refer to the proposed words that will be out of reach for him, including ‘masjid’, ‘surau’, ‘zakat’, ‘ulama’, ‘haji’ and so on?

He will be stuck, and so will the communications between Muslims and non-Muslims, and the effort to make Bahasa Malaysia an international language.

DR CHIN TUNG LEONG is an MCA central committee member, MCA overseas liaison bureau deputy chairperson and Padang Serai MCA division chairperson.