Malay language important for Thai Islamic religious schools - Raja Muda Perlis

A Bahasa Malaysia teaching programme is very important to uphold Islam and the Malay language in Thailand, said the Raja Muda Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizzuddin Putra Jamalullail.

He said the empowerment of Bahasa Melayu could expand further the minds of the Thai students on Islamic socio-culture and community and the Malay language.

"It is my hope that the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPS) can play its role with the solid cooperation of Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) and other institutions in Perlis to together make use of their expertise towards this end)," he said.

"This is in order to help the system of learning Bahasa Melayu at religious schools here from time to time to enliven the use of Bahasa Melayu among teachers and students in Thailand," he said.

He said this when opening a Bahasa Melayu Empowerment Programme at two schools here, in conjunction with MAIPS' annual working visit to the Andaman Region of Thailand Tuesday.

The programme was organised by MAIPS in cooperation with UniMAP and Kolej Universiti Islam Perlis (KUIPs).

"Religious schools, which have existed in southern Thailand for so long, can champion Islamic missionary activities and empower the Malay language in Thailand to a global level," he said.

He was accompanied by Raja Puan Muda Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

Also present were All-Thailand Islamic Religious Councils deputy president Zakaria Kitjaruk, Nakhon Sithammarat Islamic Religious Council president Ibrahim Dakai and UniMAP vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal. -- Bernama