Spotlight on Malay language as Muhyiddin visits Uzbekistan

TASHKENT: The Malay language took centre stage at Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's (pix) first official engagement of his trip to Uzbekistan that saw him speaking partly in Malay to the delight of students learning the language spoken by over 300 million people on the globe.
The Malaysian deputy prime minister's visit to the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages (USUWL) here Monday was also marked by an astounding cultural performance featuring a mixture of Uzbekistan and Malaysian traditional dances and 'pantun' (poetry) recital and songs performed by the university students.
Speaking at the event in both English and Malay or Bahasa Melayu, Muhyiddin said he was pleasantly surprised to hear that Malay was one of the 20 foreign languages being taught at USUWL.
"We're very proud that Malay has been taught at the university for almost 20 years now and that currently 40 students are learning the language at this institution," he said.
During the visit, Muhyiddin, who is also Malaysia's education minister, presented books to further expand the teaching of Bahasa Melayu as part of the efforts to promote the language abroad.
Muhyiddin arrived in Tashkent Sunday night for a four-day official visit aimed at boosting ties and co-operation with this Central Asian republic of some 30 million people.
At Monday's function, he said the Malaysian government was supportive of all initiatives towards making Malay a world language for knowledge and communication.
"The government of Malaysia renders full support to all efforts to promote the Malay language and literature at the international level.
"This is in accordance with the national aspiration of making Malay a world language of knowledge and communication, through institutional and governmental networking and cooperation," he said.
The Malay language course at the university is being led by Erkin Bekkulov.
In this regard, Muhyiddin encouraged USUWL lecturers to attend short- or long-term Malay language courses in Malaysia. – Bernama