PETALING JAYA: The issue of Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng issuing an official statement in Mandarin is a minor mistake, said prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The Prime Minister said that the matter was not one that should be turned into a big issue.
“It is a minor mistake. I do not want to make it an issue. Sometimes we make mistakes.
“It should be in three languages. But for the Chinese audience, it should be in Chinese (Mandarin language). That is all,” Dr Mahathir said when asked to respond to allegation that the Ministry of Finance had replaced Bahasa Melayu with the Mandarin language.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman, responded to the issue at a press conference after the PPBM supreme council meeting at Menara Yayasan Selangor, here, today.
Earlier today, Lim had also issued a statement rubbishing the allegation, citing the ministry’s website as proof.
Lim said any official statement in Bahasa Melayu would be translated into English for the foreign media and when there was a need, it would be translated into Mandarin.
The issue arose when Lim posted a statement in Mandarin on his social media account on June 24, triggering backlash from various quarters.
Reporting by Manirajan Ramasamy, Mohd Anwar Patho Rohman, Hidir Reduan and Fairul Asmaini Mohd Pilus
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