BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

IMAMS around the country yesterday urged congregants to uphold, preserve, defend and empower the Malay language as the official language of Brunei Darussalam.

“It is our duty and responsibility to work together as a collective entity and play our part in this,” said the imams during yesterday’s Friday Sermon.

“Since this endeavour is in alignment with the national philosophy of our country, the Malay Muslim Monarchy (MIB), it is therefore necessary for all parties concerned to continue to preserve this treasure, heritage, and identity of the country,” they said.

The imams said the Malay language is globally recognised as a language of knowledge, economy and administration.

“Our mission to empower the use of Malay in the country should not stop us from mastering and using other world languages such as English, Arabic, Mandarin and French,” they said.

Imams told the congregants that society and youth today should not dismiss the use of the Malay language because it stands for identity, persona and pride of the race.

“Instead they will have to strive to raise the status of the Malay language. By doing this, they would have made a huge contribution towards strengthening and retaining the identity and image of the race at hand,” said the imams.

Congregants were also advised not to be pompous by saying that they have fully upheld the command of the Malay language.

“This is simply because its status as the official language of the country is already vouched for in the constitution of Brunei, along with the corresponding enforcement of regulations and administrative orders through official documentation.”

“What is most needed is for us to lend further weight to this effort through our actions, practices and by assimilating the language into our daily lives.”

The imams also touched on the widespread use of Jawi which they explained is synonymous with the Malay language.

“We must realise and take heed that should the mother tongue of a particular race dies out and become extinct, then the death and extinction of that race is also inevitable.”

The imams went on to inform congregants that the Malay language has a crucial role to play in explaining and clarifying the concept and idealism inherent in the MIB philosophy.

The imams added that efforts of glorifying the Malay language requires commitment and perseverance as it is a journey that will transcend time and carried on by future generations

The Brunei Times