“If M’sians read, you won’t be PM”: Netizens mock Ismail Sabri’s reading campaign message
FocusM YESTERDAY (June 4), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob urged Malaysians to adopt a reading culture saying that a society that reads would become successful.
He added that reading helps one to acquire knowledge and develop critical thinking skills, expressing admiration over the Japanese people who read a lot; both young and old.
“Individuals such as Bill Gates reads at least 50 books a year, which is about a book a week. Elon Musk spends 10 hours a day reading fiction to help his creativity.
“Books are a window to the world and this is such a true adage. The knowledge gained through books can change the world,” The Star reported him a saying at the launch of the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2022 at the World Trade Centre yesterday.
However, the Bera MP’s message had several netizens on stitches and took to social media to ridicule the prime minister, including his purported lack of mastery over the English language and his insistence on promoting the use of Malay in the region.
User Paul Si jested:
User Lee Kam Loong asked:
Netizen Ho Chea Khai derided:
Since ascending Seri Perdana, Ismail Sabri had instructed all civil servants to engage local and international dignitaries using the Malay language at official events.
He also said that there should be no problems in suing Malay outside the country as there is existing technology that can handle translation in real time.
“There is no reason for us to feel awkward talking in Malay in other countries when others are proud of using their national languages.
“It is our national language and we should be proud of using it,” he was reported as saying in February.
While Ismail Sabri moved to make Malay the main language of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia threw a spanner to his works by saying that if the region should have a main communication language, it should be Bahasa Indonesia given its population size.
On May 24, Berita Harian reported that the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali had urged the Public Service Department (PSD) to consider corrective and punitive action to enforce the use of Malay in the civil service and even Government-linked companies (GLC).
Books aside, what about mindset change?
On that note, user Balasingam Velu urged Malaysians to change themselves first before trying to change the world.
Netizen Baskarsannasy Baskar quipped: “Even you reading many books if can’t change mindset it is useless. The books are books but your mindset will guide you what direction you want continue your journey.” – June 5, 2022.
