The recent enforcement actions on signboard regulations by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have
ignited debates across Malaysia. These actions, while grounded in the Advertisement (Federal
Territories) By-Laws 1982, have raised concerns about their cultural, economic, and public
relations implications. It is crucial to approach this issue with sensitivity and foresight, balancing
the primacy of Bahasa Malaysia with the realities of Malaysia’s multicultural identity and
economic landscape.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia provides a robust framework to address issues of national
identity and multiculturalism:
๐ญ. ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ
๐๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ.
๐ฎ. ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ฎ๐, ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
๐ฏ. ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ, ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎโ๐ ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐
๐ฎ ๐บ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
This constitutional balance mandates respect for the national language while acknowledging the
importance of Malaysia’s ethnic and cultural diversity. Upholding these principles should guide
any resolution to the signboard issue.
๐ฆ๐๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ
๐ญ. ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป๐: Forcing businesses to immediately replace signboards creates
unnecessary tension and negative publicity. Instead, implement a grace period (e.g., 12 months)
for businesses to adjust their signage.
๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐: DBKL and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka could hold workshops with
business owners to guide compliance and offer design templates that align with the by-laws. ๐ฎ. ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐
๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐:
The government can establish a subsidy or tax deduction program for businesses that comply
within the grace period, easing the financial burden of redesign and installation.
๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ-๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐:
Collaborate with advertising agencies or sponsors to help small businesses afford compliant
signboards.
๐ฏ. ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐
๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ:
Launch a public awareness campaign that explains the importance of Bahasa Malaysia while
respecting the need for other languages to cater to diverse customers, including tourists.
*๐๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
Emphasize that the regulation is about prioritizing Bahasa Malaysia rather than erasing cultural
diversity. This distinction is crucial to avoid alienating specific communities.
๐ฐ. ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐
๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐
Highlight businesses that have successfully incorporated Bahasa Malaysia while retaining their
multilingual appeal. For example, showcase how businesses can include Bahasa Malaysia
prominently without excluding Chinese, Tamil, or English.
๐ฑ. ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
*๐๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐:
Engage groups such as the Malaysia Chinese Restaurant Association and Malay Chambers of
Commerce to create consensus on practical solutions.
๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
Promote open forums between DBKL and business communities to address grievances and
suggestions constructively.
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
The government must also consider the significant contributions of these businesses to
Malaysiaโs economy:
๐ง๐ฎ๐
๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐:
Businesses affected by these regulations are often significant contributors to tax revenue.
Alienating them may harm overall economic stability ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ:
Many of these businesses employ Malaysians of all ethnic backgrounds and cater to diverse
customer bases. Alienating these businesses could inadvertently harm local employment and
consumer choice.
๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น:
Multilingual signage is essential for Malaysiaโs tourism industry, as it ensures accessibility and
inclusivity for international visitors.
By allowing businesses the time and resources to comply, the government can demonstrate
empathy and a commitment to economic growth.
๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The signboard issue has become a matter of national attention, risking unnecessary
polarization.
๐ง๐ผ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐:
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ:
Shift the focus from punitive measures to a shared national effort to uplift Bahasa Malaysia while
preserving cultural heritage.
๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
Publicly tearing down signboards could create resentment and negative media coverage.
Instead, prioritize education and gradual improvement.
๐ ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐บ
Malaysiaโs strength lies in its unity amidst diversity. To uphold the Federal Constitution and
foster national harmony, the resolution of the signboard issue must balance:
๐ญ. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐บ๐ฏ๐ผ๐น.*
๐ฎ. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎโ๐ ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐.*
๐ฏ. ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ
๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐.
This balanced approachโrooted in dialogue, gradual implementation, and mutual respectโwill
uphold the Federal Constitution and reinforce Malaysiaโs reputation as a harmonious and
inclusive nation. By showing mercy, fostering understanding, and encouraging cooperation, the
government can turn a contentious issue into an opportunity for unity and growth.
๐ง๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐บ ๐ฌ๐ฒw
Menu