'Strange that this should happen in Malaysia where there are millions of citizens of Chinese ethnicity. Half of them could easily point out the mistake.'

Translation boo-boo mars Wen's welcoming ceremony

Anonymous_4041: Absolutely unforgivable. Malaysia is the only country outside of China with a complete Chinese education system, and we are well-known in the Greater China world for our Chinese scholars and writers.

This is not acceptable. If they can't handle such a simple matter, how can we trust them with building a nuclear plant. Premier Wen Jiabao, our apologies.

Anonymous: Strange that this should happen in Malaysia where there are millions of citizens of Chinese ethnicity. I think at least half of them could easily point out the mistake. Maybe on that day they failed to locate the Chinese individuals who make up the one percent of the Malaysian civil service.

It's not even necessary to ask the Chinese embassy to help out with such a small problem. Have we forgotten that MCA is a BN coalition partner? What about Gerakan leader Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the minister in attendance to the Chinese premier, or the Chinese staff who are proficient in the Chinese language in the PM's Department?

This error in translation will definitely make Malaysia a laughing stock at least in China, Taiwan and Singapore, if not the whole world. It is more so when we always pride ourselves as being the only country outside China, Taiwan, and maybe Singapore, where the Chinese language is widely used.

But again it also shows the government never really attaches any importance to this language.

HYL: Hasn't it ever occurred to PM Najib Razak's administration staff that this will be viewed by people all over the world? The Chinese media like Phoenix Broadcasting Channel has millions of viewers worldwide. Now people will know how bad Malaysian Chinese's command of the  language is.

Hwa Shi-Hsia: Apparently Google Translate is very popular with our government. Remember the translator who did Teoh Beng Hock's alleged 'suicide note' ?

Cala: Excuse me, why should this misstep in translation from ‘Bahasa Malaysia' into Chinese be a surprise at all? Remember a similar mistake was done in the brochures for distribution at the Malaysian booth during the Shanghai Expo?

Remember no one kicked up a fuss over it? The conclusion is we do not have a culture for "zero error tolerance". What we do have is a culture that accepts mediocre performance.

Someone who was handling public relations should have consulted Ong Tee Keat or Chew Mei Fan if there were no Chinese civil servants in the PM's Department. Are we really ready to create an education hub in Malaysia for the Asia Pacific region?

Rubystar_4037: I showed the text to a Form 3, 15-year-old kid, and he laughed. If the translation is from BM to English by Google Translator, it reads: "An official welcome ceremony in conjunction with the official treatment of HE Wen Bao Jai." I would not be surprised if this text is used if an English dignitary visits Malaysia.

The mediocrity of the civil servants in Malaysia is getting more and more pronounced. WJB (Wen Jiabao) is one of the most powerful men on earth and if he graces our country with his visit, couldn't the  PM's office staff walk the extra mile to make him more welcome.

Such a faux pas is inexcusable, especially when the big bold letters are beamed across the whole world. I feel very embarrassed.

Gerard Samuel Vijayan: The vast majority of staff in the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) and Foreign Ministry are already illiterate in English, what more Chinese. This is what happens when you hire only sub-standard people from a single ethnic group with zero work ethics and no pride in their jobs.

If they cannot speak or write in Chinese, at least call in the experts. But here in Malaysia, its always the half-past-six job.

Dood: The time seems ripe for a crony company to come up with a 1MalaysiaTranslation service. Free to the public! Only RM0.50 per word translated for government agencies. Premium services will cost extra. Not to worry, it's a purely a private venture.

Anwar gives statement over sex video screening

Lim Chong Leong: Why the need to take Anwar Ibrahim's statement? The sex act was not a crime but the secret taping of it and then the distribution of the video were indeed criminal acts.

The actor, even if it was Anwar, must not have known about it. So why waste time asking him what he obviously does not know? So the police should not waste taxpayers money by doing this sandiwara .

Sentinel: It was really disgusting, irresponsible, unforgivable for TV3 to even show snippets of this pornographic materials on national television. There is no ethics left. It seems "get Anwar at all costs" has turned  some of  the staff of these organisations and agencies into unethical and unscrupulous people with no moral responsibility towards society anymore.

And I am sure people in power, and those who had been in power, have a hand in this latest saga. Sick people!

Anonymous _dhf3b: As the famous saying goes, play with fire and you may get burnt. Anwar is and was the biggest conspirator in Malaysian history. Get Anwar and his gang to stop all the conspiracies, then maybe he will be left alone.

Tuah PJ: I do not like Anwar, ever since he issued the threat that "Hindu temple bells will not ring again in Penang" (to quell the communal disturbance there). Maybe that is why he never became PM.

That aside, I still would not wish this on anyone, even Anwar. In Islam, it all boils down to niat (intention). If it is not for the general good, then no good will come out of it.

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