KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — The use of the Malay language, or Bahasa Melayu, for correspondence in government departments, is crucial to ensure the clarity and integrity of government communication and to promote the importance of the national language among Malaysians.

Expressing support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement regarding the matter, the president of the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) Muhd Fazreen Ismadi said that the move was also important to preserve the sovereignty and position of the national language.

"This will also help create positive effects in the education, employment and social fields, as well as to ensure fairness in access to government services,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Anwar, in his speech at the opening of the National Language Decade Carnival and National Reading Decade, reminded government departments not to entertain any letters written in a language other than the national language, after noticing that there is a tendency by some parties to deny the fundamentals of the Federal Constitution.

In that regard, Muhd Fazreen hopes the efforts will continue to be strengthened and continued, for the sake of a more united and advanced Malaysia.

"Even though Malaysia has been independent for almost seven decades, the people are still bewildered by the adherence to the Malay language in daily affairs, up to official government correspondence.

"We should be more firm and warn any party who deliberately practises a careless attitude and disobeys the Federal Constitution,” he said. — Bernama