Correct Malay spelling competition in Short Messaging Services (SMS) is one of the unique competitions that is being organised to encourage Bruneians to make greater use of the language with 'technical' accuracy.
For instance, 'mother' should be spelled in SMS as "mama" and not "ma2", or the word 'you' should be spelled in SMS as "Kau" and not "Ko", or the word 'if' should be spelled as "Kalau" and not "Lau", or the word 'close' should be typed as "Tutup" and not "2tup" or the word for 'door' should be typed as "Pintu" and not "Pin2", or the word 'maybe' should be spelled as "kali" and not "X".
Acting Director of the Language the Literature Bureau, Hajah Aminah bte Haji Momin said there are instances where children and young adults who have adapted to the habit of spelling words that way have come to a point where they have become unaware or forgotten or unable to tell the differences on the correct way of spelling when composing letters or answering exam questions.
"Such is the danger if this problem is not addressed now," she said during a press conference yesterday to announce the number of activities that are being organised in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee - 50th anniversary - of the Malay Language as the official language instituted by the Brunei Constitution 1959.
Another related and significant development is the upcoming launch of Microsoft Office Vista and Office in 'Bahasa Melayu'.
This project, instead of eliminating the 'annoying' red lines while using MS words or other MS productivity tools, will compliment the effort of promoting as well as safeguarding the language, it was understood.
The activities that are being organised by the Language and Literature Bureau to empower the language include Letter Writing Competition in cooperation with the Postal Service Department, Radio Quiz in cooperation with RTB, speech making (pidato) competition in cooperation with the Department of Information, correct Malay words spelling competition in SMS in cooperation with DST Com, International Congress on the Malay Culture, mini exhibition at the LLB and special lecture.
All the activities that are being organised, said Hajah Aminah bte Haji Momin, are important to recognise that the nation's independence was partly achieved with the idealism of the country's written constitution 1959, either as an ideology or as a philosophy of the Malay Islamic Monarchy or even on the nationalism perspective.
Hajah Aminah said some of the current challenges faced by the Malay and Literature Bureau, in its effort to safeguard the language from being distorted, is the emergence of technology.
"... And with the current issue of the 'rojak' (cross breed or coded) Malay language, how can we claim the Malay language as a national language if our own generation is not adapted to use the language 100 per cent correctly," she asked.
"That is why the media (TV, radio, newspaper, text books etc) play a pivotal role in generating Bruneians who are heedful or cognizant with their language. If we continue to 'rojak' our Malay language in our media, the new budding generation will wrongfully believe that the language is acceptable," she said.
"If that happens, then where will the official language stands?" she asked.
The Language and Literature Bureau is one of the government departments under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
It was first established in September 16, 1961 when the State Legislative Council approved the setting up of a Language Board in order to inspect matters related to the development of the Malay language as a state's official language.
The Language Board was set up to implement the Chapter 82(1) of the 1959 constitution.
The department is responsible for language and literary development and propagation, cultural research and documentation and book publication besides providing library services all over the country.
As the name Language Board was thought to be inappropriate, it was later changed to Language and Literary Section under the jurisdiction of the Education Department.
On January 1, 1965, the Language and Literary Section was separated from the Education Department. It became a new department known as Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Language and Literature Bureau).
For instance, 'mother' should be spelled in SMS as "mama" and not "ma2", or the word 'you' should be spelled in SMS as "Kau" and not "Ko", or the word 'if' should be spelled as "Kalau" and not "Lau", or the word 'close' should be typed as "Tutup" and not "2tup" or the word for 'door' should be typed as "Pintu" and not "Pin2", or the word 'maybe' should be spelled as "kali" and not "X".
Acting Director of the Language the Literature Bureau, Hajah Aminah bte Haji Momin said there are instances where children and young adults who have adapted to the habit of spelling words that way have come to a point where they have become unaware or forgotten or unable to tell the differences on the correct way of spelling when composing letters or answering exam questions.
"Such is the danger if this problem is not addressed now," she said during a press conference yesterday to announce the number of activities that are being organised in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee - 50th anniversary - of the Malay Language as the official language instituted by the Brunei Constitution 1959.
Another related and significant development is the upcoming launch of Microsoft Office Vista and Office in 'Bahasa Melayu'.
This project, instead of eliminating the 'annoying' red lines while using MS words or other MS productivity tools, will compliment the effort of promoting as well as safeguarding the language, it was understood.
The activities that are being organised by the Language and Literature Bureau to empower the language include Letter Writing Competition in cooperation with the Postal Service Department, Radio Quiz in cooperation with RTB, speech making (pidato) competition in cooperation with the Department of Information, correct Malay words spelling competition in SMS in cooperation with DST Com, International Congress on the Malay Culture, mini exhibition at the LLB and special lecture.
All the activities that are being organised, said Hajah Aminah bte Haji Momin, are important to recognise that the nation's independence was partly achieved with the idealism of the country's written constitution 1959, either as an ideology or as a philosophy of the Malay Islamic Monarchy or even on the nationalism perspective.
Hajah Aminah said some of the current challenges faced by the Malay and Literature Bureau, in its effort to safeguard the language from being distorted, is the emergence of technology.
"... And with the current issue of the 'rojak' (cross breed or coded) Malay language, how can we claim the Malay language as a national language if our own generation is not adapted to use the language 100 per cent correctly," she asked.
"That is why the media (TV, radio, newspaper, text books etc) play a pivotal role in generating Bruneians who are heedful or cognizant with their language. If we continue to 'rojak' our Malay language in our media, the new budding generation will wrongfully believe that the language is acceptable," she said.
"If that happens, then where will the official language stands?" she asked.
The Language and Literature Bureau is one of the government departments under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
It was first established in September 16, 1961 when the State Legislative Council approved the setting up of a Language Board in order to inspect matters related to the development of the Malay language as a state's official language.
The Language Board was set up to implement the Chapter 82(1) of the 1959 constitution.
The department is responsible for language and literary development and propagation, cultural research and documentation and book publication besides providing library services all over the country.
As the name Language Board was thought to be inappropriate, it was later changed to Language and Literary Section under the jurisdiction of the Education Department.
On January 1, 1965, the Language and Literary Section was separated from the Education Department. It became a new department known as Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Language and Literature Bureau).
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