Remove the words keling and cinabeng from the next edition of 'Kamus Dewan' or amend their definition to avoid misleading users, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) has been told.

Gerakan Kuala Lumpur chairperson Dr Tan Kee Kwong, who submitted a memorandum to the language authority today, said the inclusion of such words is deemed sensitive to the Indian and Chinese Malaysian communities.

The document was accepted by a representative of DBP director Dr Firdaus Abdullah, who was attending an event at the Putra World Trade Centre.

"We hope that the director will consider amending the definition or removing both words," Tan said.

He pointed out that the fourth edition of the dictionary uses the derogatory word keling (on page 719) to refer to the Indian community when the correct term should be kalinga . The word cinabeng on page 280 is explained as sial dan celaka .

"Users would associate the definition with the Chinese community. We don't want the younger generation to be misled, as this would cause problems in their interaction with Indians and Chinese," he told reporters.

He further said the word keling was previously criticised at different levels and that "even the Speaker of Parliament has reprimanded parliamentarians who used this word".

Tan, a member of the parliamentary select committee on national integration, said the continued use of such words would be detrimental to national unity.

The issue will be raised at the Gerakan national delegates conference this weekend, he added.

Central liaison secretary Chan Cheok Wai, assistant secretary K Supramaniam, and health bureau chairperson Eddie Yaw accompanied Tan to the DBP office in Kuala Lumpur.