Saturday, February 25, 2012

DBP ready to serve as language secretariat

The Star Online Sunday February 26, 2012

DBP ready to serve as language secetariat


DEWAN Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) is willing act to as a secretariat if it is called upon to conduct an audit over the usage of Bahasa Melayu in the public sector.

Newly appointed director-general Dr Awang Sariyan said DBP would itself go through an audit so that the instrument could be further strengthened.

“We have our own audit unit. Once we have completed our own audit we can show it as an example to the Public Service Department (JPA),” he told reporters after chairing his first monthly gathering on Monday since taking over this month.
Dr Awang says the audit will look into various aspects.

Dr Awang replaces Datuk Termuzi Abdul Aziz whose term of service ended last month.

“It is up to JPA to appoint DBP as a secretariat but we are ready to serve if there is a need,” he said.

This, he added, was in line with a JPA circular dated Oct 28, last year on the usage of the national language in the civil service.

“The DBP is adhering to the circular in an attempt to assist the Government in implementing this policy,” he said.

Dr Awang said DBP was currently working on strengthening the audit system and draft mechanism.

“The audit would look into various aspects such as the use of the language as well as the quality and spelling of words.

“It is not meant to punish any government agency,” he explained.

On another matter, Dr Awang advised any agency to consult DBP before introducing a new word or term as it could bring about confusion.

Dr Awang was the former Malay Studies Chair at Beijing Foreign Studies University from January 2008 to July 2011 and former director of the Department of Language at DBP.

He has also served at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, the International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

Dr Awang has also been a visiting professor at Frankfurt University in Germany and Universitas Sumatera Utara in Indonesia.

He has presented more than 200 lectures in many countries including Australia, France, South Korea and Thailand, and written many books. — By KAREN CHAPMAN

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