KUANTAN: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry is fine tuning several communication initiatives including the languages used to disseminate Covid-19-related information to the public.
Its minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said information distributed by the government was currently being translated into several languages for foreigners who might not understand Malay or English.
"We have hired the services of translators to ensure messages and information reach the audience and they understand the contents. Translations will be soon be provided in Rohingya and Nepalese languages.
"Foreigners or illegal immigrants in Malaysia need to understand the messages and comply with the information as this would help our battle against the pandemic and allow people in the country to practise the necessary measures.
"The ministry's move to improve communication is to ensure full compliance to the standard operating procedures," he told reporters after presenting welfare aid to the Chinese community in the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency at Dagangan Mahkota complex here today.
Saifuddin, who is the Indera Mahkota member of parliament, said the communication initiatives currently done in Mandarin, Tamil, Iban and Kadazan also required further improvements.
"We realised the information in Bahasa Melayu and English on the pandemic is well understood by people from all levels in the community while there seems to be a gap for those disseminated in Mandarin, Tamil, Iban and Kadazan. The ministry is working on the areas which require improvements to ensure effective communication," he said.