Bahasa Malaysia Attracts International Students' Interests

International students showing their dedication to learning Bahasa Malaysia

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SUBANG JAYA | Fifteen international students from Taylor's University attended ‘Learning Bahasa Malaysia (BM)’, the first language workshop organised by Best Buddies Connect (BBC) on 26 October. The workshop aims to introduce BM to international students, especially those who did not get a chance to take Mata Pelajaran Pengajian Umum (MPU) classes. “It is important for our international students to learn local languages here in Malaysia, especially the national language. "You will learn more about the words as well as get a small taste of the culture,” said BBC Advisor, Tee Ching Hin. The two-hour class covered various aspects of the local language such as basic conversational skills, numbers and colours. The students were also taught BM words through well-known songs in Malaysia such as Rasa Sayang and one of the late Tan Sri Datuk P. Ramlee's greatest hit songs, Bila Larut Malam. Taylor's School of Liberal Arts lecturer, Siti Noor Amyah bt. Khasbullah, who was tasked with teaching the students, said she was happy to see international students participating in the workshop. “Nowadays, most of the people in Malaysia don’t speak the national language. “Even international students are interested to learn about our native tongue, so why don’t we take the responsibility and instil our national language among ourselves until BM reaches the global level,” she said. Taylor's School of Education student from the Philippines, Jake Arandilla, 21, who attended the workshop, was surprised to find it was unlike any typical language class he had expected. “I thought it was going to be a boring class but it turned out to be fun and interactive instead,” he said. Arandilla added that he was looking forward to practicing the useful words and phrases he had learned during his study life in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Taylor's Business School student from the Netherlands, Ellen Trees Bolt, 24, who had no prior knowledge about BM, attended the workshop due to her interest in learning the language after living in the country for three months. “When I came here, I was really looking forward to BM classes and I asked around whether there were any held on campus. So, I was grateful for this workshop because it has benefited me a lot,” she said. Taylor's School of Liberal Arts student from America, McKenzie Sommers, 21, shared similar feelings about the workshop and thought it was a good way for international students to familiarise themselves with the language. “Being in Malaysia, I wanted to understand the general stuff such as understanding menus, the signs and what people are saying. This workshop made it easier to get around and blend in with the local people,” she said. ​ With such good reviews, Tee said that BBC planned to have similar workshops in the future.

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