PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim has urged Malay youths to master the Chinese language, in view of the language’s importance for commerce in the region.

He said learning non-Malay languages should not only be an acceptable practice but should be supported without compromising the Malay language’s position as the national language.

“In the 1950s and 1960s, the debates about the Malay and Chinese languages were more about race.

“In 2018, the question is about Malay as the national language, and Chinese as a very strategic language of commerce.

“As long as the position of the Malay language as the national language is accepted without question, mastery of other languages should be supported, and I propose that Malays youths master the Chinese language as an important language of commerce in this region,” he said.

Anwar was speaking at Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia’s (Abim) 47th annual general meeting at Dewan Canselor Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia in Nilai today.

He added that he always supported the Malay language’s position as the national language as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

“I am among the critics of those with a weak command of the Malay language and the use of vulgarities amongst MPs,” he said.