On today’s show, education is the theme of the day as Dr Maszlee Malik resigns as the head of this fraught portfolio. In Sarawak, where many indigenous languages are spoken, we consider the case for compulsory education in Jawi, which is a linguistic cultural icon indeed but surely not to the exclusion of all others. We speak first to Dennis of Kapit who spent twenty years in the west before returning to his hometown. He sees the significance of Jawi but only to a small sector of the population, and so questions the education department’s insistence on it for all.

Bobby William of DRAF agrees but is angry about the imposition. He sees the top down approach of ‘all must follow every edict’ as counter productive; where Jawi could have been celebrated by all as a key part of Malaysian heritage, he says, instead it has become a cause of argument. Where is the greater good, he asks?

We also talk to activist Atama Katama on the international perspective. As a representative to the UN on indigenous rights, he tells us that the past year has seen the UN put special focus on the protection of indigenous languages, especially in the context of colonisation. With only 370 million indigenous people in the world, many of these mother tongues are threatened with extinction and, if they are lost, a large element of their culture and heritage will go with them. He calls upon the indigenous peoples of the Borneo states to preserve their own languages with the same vigour that the Malays in the Education Department are seeking to promote their own to make all our multiple mother tongues a source of national pride.

We end with Alexander, a prefect in Form 1, who is going through the school process as we speak. An Iban in a Chinese school, Jawi would be the fifth language on his list. Isn’t school stressful enough, he says?

Tune in for all this and more, including our Berita Menoa. Semoa Kitai Tau Bejako!

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Dalam programm ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak malam tu ngenang pasal Dr. Maszlee Malik ti udah badu nyadi Menteri Pelajar Malaysia. Di Sarawak mayuh jaku bansa asal dikena, kami berundingka pelajar jaku Jawi enda patut dipelajarka dalam sekula. Terubah ia kami berandau enggau Denis ari Kapit, ti udah dua puluh taun diau di Malaya sebedau iya mulaika diri ke menua iya. Iya bisi beratika guna tulis Jawi, tang mimit bendar orang din deka begunaka nya, nya alai, ku iya nama kebuah opis pelajar kras deka ngasuh tulis Jawi dipelajarka dalam sekula.

Kami bisi berandau enggau Bobby Willam ari DRAF, iya nadai nyakal, tang dalam penemu iya nadai penguntung, semina nya nyarutka penemu mensia mayuh. Nama penguntung ti lebih ari nya dih, ku iya?

Kami bisi berandau enggau siku activist Atama Katama pasal penemu antarabansa ba pasal jaku bansa asal. Iya ti pengari Gerempung Bansa ngarika bansa asal, ku iya dalam taun siti tu kamari Gerempung Bansa udah naka ulih nyaga jaku bansa asal. Di dunya tu bisi 370 million bansa asal, lalu mayuh jaku bansa asal nyau deka punas, lalu enti jaku sida nadai agi, nya ti ngasuh mayuh bendar pesaka bansa mega punas. Iya minta bansa asal di Borneo nan ka jaku bansa diriempu sebaka enggau pengeras ati Malayu ti ngena Opis Pelajar ngemansangka jaku sida, lalu ngaga mayuh bengkah jaku bansa asal ngasuh menua tu beberita jelai nama.

Penudi bendar kami berandau enggau Alexander, siku tuai klas Form 1, ti benung besekula nitihka atur ti dikerandauka ditu. Nembiak lban belajar ba sekula China. Tulis Jawi nyadi kelima mata pelajar iya. Kati enda klalu mayuh mata pelajar ba sekula?

Pendingka semua kenang pekara tu dalam agi, nyengkaum Berita Menua. Semua Kitai Tau Bejaku!