SHAH ALAM: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today came to the defence of Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng who has been heavily criticised for including a Mandarin translation in an official government statement.
Dr Wan Azizah said the government maintains the use of Bahasa Malaysia as the official language in all government matters.
She, however, said it was not wrong for ministries to translate official statements into other languages, including English and Mandarin.
“It has been our policy for a long time that the official language is the national language. But if anyone (or any ministry) would like to offer translations (into other languages), it is not wrong.
“As said by the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, this is not an issue,” she told reporters after attending the Institut Darul Ehsan Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house here today.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Pakatan Harapan and PKR president, further said there was no need to politicise the issue.
“We have translations, even if we see wayang (movies), there are also subtitles, right?”
Dr Mahathir had on June 25 said the matter was not one that should be turned into a big issue.
Lim had also issued a statement rubbishing the allegation, citing the ministry’s website as proof.
He had said any official statement in Bahasa Malaysia 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, receiving backlash from various quarters.
On another issue, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said the ministry viewed sexual harassment and abuse cases in the country seriously, especially those involving the minorities and disabled.
“The ministry intends to train more instructors to be professional translators to deal with the deaf and mute.
“We want to increase the number of translators to help this group of sexual abuse victims, including children (who have difficulties in communicating).
“I have a long list of people (and organisations) waiting to see me. We are a new government and it is the first time we are having a new government in over 60 years. So, give us some space and time,” she added.