Terengganu MCA views the Terengganu state government’s directive in compelling all commercial signboards, billboards, banners and posters to display Jawi script inscriptions will only increase the burden of business operators.

The reason cited by the Terengganu state government is rather weak - to enable the rakyat to know and learn the script. Terengganu MCA cannot help but to question how may one learn a new script by looking at a billboard writings?

Learning a language or its script is a slow process and can only be achieve systematically. To a person who is unfamiliar or illiterate in another language, the script will appear as nothing more than meaningless symbols. The purpose of a billboard is to convey information.

Therefore, to impose compulsory Jawi script on a billboard, which is an unfamiliar script to many non-Malays, will be a waste of resources and will not serve any advertising purpose at all.

And in order to comply with the new ruling, business operators will have to seek assistance for translations on the billboards. Whether the eventual translations to be published on the billboards are accurate and reflect the intended message will not be certain. But the directive definitely will create unnecessary inconveniences to the business community.

One’s passion or interest for a particular culture or script must not be forcefully imposed unto others. On the contrary, the Terengganu state government should gather feedback from Terengganu residents before introducing such a directive. It would be more effective and inducing if people are encouraged to discover and learn about the beauty of the Jawi script on their own accord and develop an interest in it at their own pace and time.

TOH CHIN YAW is Terengganu MCA state liaison committee chairperson.