Rule of law must prevail over tourism interests in signboard language debate, says Sarawak’s tourism minister

KUCHING, Nov 27 — The rule of law must take precedence over tourism interests in determining the languages used on signboards across Malaysia, said Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak said in the state, it would be acceptable for Malay and English to be utilised as languages for signboards, as the two are the official languages of the state.

“Not a problem for dual languages to be used in signboards in Sarawak — big letters in Malay on top with the English translations underneath.

“It would be good to have dual language signage; we only utilise the official languages of the state,” he told a press conference conducted at his office here yesterday.

When speaking on Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) recent enforcement actions on business signboards in KL, ensuring that all business signboards must be in Malay, Abdul Karim said the usage of languages depends on the respective city’s by-laws, and that its residents must abide by such Acts.

“I think it will not significantly impact travellers, but rather be a minor inconvenience,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a Malay Mail report published last Sunday, federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing criticised DBKL’s enforcement against Chinese-language signboards, remarking ‘it can tarnish Malaysia’s image as a diverse and multi-cultural nation’.

Tiong, who is Bintulu MP and Dudong assemblyman, was quoted to have said the controversial move had created a negative perception among some international tourists.

Nevertheless, Abdul Karim opined that the argument of dual languages on road and business signboards is not the main consideration of tourists visiting Malaysia.

“There is no need to go overboard just because we want to attract tourists from India; we must use Tamil on the signboards. That should not be an issue as we just have to follow the state’s by-laws.

“This matter should not be made into an issue, escalating from a trivial matter to raising major concerns.”

Since last month, DBKL has issued enforcement notices on premises in the capital for failing to display signboards in Malay, citing the Small Advertising Act (FT) 1982. — The Borneo Post