Stick Your Head-la, Penang should tell them back

I read an article on the newspaper, and it goes something like this:

Stick to Bahasa, Penang told

KUALA LUMPUR: Road signs in various lan­guages have no benefit, so stick to Bahasa Malaysia only, said the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry in warning the Penang Government not to use language to gain political mileage.

Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said that multi-language road signs would disunite the people.

“It is merely a name for roads. Locals and tourists are not against the present signs. Why must there be a change in the language of the road signs?” he said when commenting on Penang’s plan to use Chinese, Tamil and Jawi for road signs in George Town.

“The ministry will send a letter of protest against the plan,” he told reporters after witnessing the longest Chinese landscape painting which was listed in the Malaysia Book of Records here yesterday. (Source: The Star, 29 Oct 2008) [Sorrie for stealing...]

Goodness. What is this?

Penang is trying to promote tourism since Penang became World Heritage, and now the ministry is telling them to leave the signs alone?

Adding extra language will do no harm. Will the citizens be disunited because of the existence of multi-languages on signboards?

Do they think a war will broke out with dictionaries as long range artillery?

Haiyo. I think this is somehow going a bit too far.

Let me highlight this: "...warning the Penang Government not to use language to gain political mileage."

Political mileage? I think they are thinking too deep already.

By the way, adding extra languages DO bring benefits in contrast to their point of view. It represents unity among multi-racial groups. It represents understanding among races. Tourists come and point to the signboard telling their children that this country is indeed colourful as well as peaceful.

Anyway, at least this move is better than changing Jalan Alor to Jalan Kejora.

Aiyo. I wonder whether my University Garden will change to Universe Galaxy?

Eh? Not bad wor. Lol.