WHEN you promote your mother tongue, you are promoting cultural diversity.

To underscore Malaysia’s multilingual culture, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) recently celebrated “Hari Bahasa Ibunda Antarabangsa UNESCO ke-9 2008”.

The move was to create awareness of mother languages and dialects of the minorities among Malaysian society.

Themed “Meraikan Kepelbagaian Bahasa Ibunda dan Budaya Suku Kaum Malaysia”, the event showcased 12 mother languages which found expression in songs, music, dance, poetry, chants, sketches and tales of ethnic identities.

The 12 mother languages celebrated were those from Kedah, Ulu Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan; and Sino Kadazan, Punjabi, Peranakan Baba, Semai, Hokkien, Jawa, Telegu and Iban.
The event was launched by UKM Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin at Kompleks Tun Abdullah Mohd Salleh, UKM.

“It is important to preserve the mother languages of the minorities. This is because languages are not just tools of communication but also essential constituents of the self-consciousness and identity of individuals and societies.”

“We should not ignore the use of mother language because it is Malaysia’s cultural heritage. Mother language is native to our people,” says Sharifah Hapsah.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (for industry and community relations) Professor Saran Kaur Gill says overwhelming response from the public has prompted UKM to make this an annual event.