Malaysia Hotels

Bahasa Melayu Riau

Clichè and Facts

Standard Bahasa Melayu derives from Riau is a clichè, period and end of story was what I came across while doing research.

Not for me.

Standard Bahasa Melayu WAS a dialect. A standard language can be defined as a standardized dialect that has been given either legal or quasi-legal status.

Which dialect? To say it is a Riau language is not wrong, it is just too generalised. Even a linguist was overwhelmed by the maddening variety of dialects in Riau alone.

Names

A paper of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia mentioned "...the Malay and Indonesian languages both originated from Johor-Riau Malay."

A press statement in Utusan Malaysia lamenting the mixing of Bahasa Melayu and English called the standard Malay that should be used by Radio Televisyen Malaysia as Bahasa Melayu Riau.

On the official website of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the authority on Malay Language, the only information you find is an e-book for sale about traditional sayings of Melayu Riau.

What is Bahasa Melayu from Riau like? Let me quote a passage from the e-book's sample, describing the traditional shorts:

"Seluar Pendek seluar sampak

Labuh terletak di atas lutut

Tidak molek dipandang orang

Tempat terpakai dalam rimba

Kena dibuat basahan mandi

Lebarnya tidak membuka aib

Sempit tidak membentuk bongkol"

-Unkapan tradisional Melayu Riau by Tenas Effendy

P.s. for the sake of discussion, I use the term Bahasa Melayu Riau here.

Standardizing Standard Malay

While speakers of "Standard Bahasa Melayu" are able to communicate with inhabitants of Riau, there are differences between Bahasa Melayu Indonesia and Malaysia.

Long years of colonial rule has resulted in the influence of English language on Malaysia and Dutch on Indonesia. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei had colloborated to standardise Bahasa Melayu but a lot of work is yet to be done.

A Chosen Tongue

A standard language is usually, but not always based on the tongue of a capital city. It is defined by the selection of certain regional and class markers and the rejection of others.

The choice of Bahasa Melayu Riau fits the above description especially in the case of Indonesia where it comprises only 2% of the nation's population and Javanese language is popular.

Riau

Behold! A land flowing crude oil from below ground more than the entire output of rich Brunei and oil hanging on oil palm tress.

The focus is more than often, on the oil extracted from below ground. I must say people just can't help it...

Firstly, anyone with normal eyesight will have to notice an oil pipeline stretching 900 Km across mainland Riau in Sumatra, nicknamed " giant snake" by the locals.

Second is the impressive quantity: "giant snake" is only a part of the U.S.-owned Caltex oil fields producing over half of Indonesia's total.

There is yet an estimated 19 billion barrels of oil underground, plus potential of the world's largest natural gas fields in the Natuna islands.

Looking upwards at the oil above, you see the largest palm oil producing area in Indonesia more than 2.4 million hectares.

Winds of Change

It wasn't the literal oils that brought prosperity to more than 40% of Riau's 4.3 million population living in poverty, most of which couldn't even afford kerosene for their lamps.

It was the figurative " oil below ground and oil above" The Economist pointed out as Indonesia's autonomy law that brings in more cash to Riau.

Instead of just 2% of revenue sent to Jakarta, the autonomy law allows Riau to keep up to 80% of revenues from mining, forestry and fishery, 30% from gas and 15% from oil.

Dissatisfaction and distrust in the new law dissipated as signs of riches emerged in Riau though amidst talks of improprieteis and extravagance amont the district heads.

Since July 2004, Riau is separted politically into two provinces - mainland Riau in Sumatra and the Riau Islands.

A look at the complex population and erosion of traditional influence on the younger generation of Riau tells you that it cannot be called predominantly Malay these days.

Sad? Or rather that is the price of modernisation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riau Malay Language

Riau Malay language became a breakaway segment of the Johor-Riau Malay when the Dutch took over Riau after signing the Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824. Today, it is a province language spoken by more than 1.5 million people.

Riau Malay is divided into two major dialects: Archipelago Riau Malay and Mainland Riau Malay.

Archipelago Riau Malay is further subdivided into 18 sub-dialects. Here are the areas where it is widely spoken:

Bintan Island
Lingga Island
Serasan Island
Tambelan Island
Tujuh Island
Bingaran Island
Natuna Island

Bengkalis
Bukitbatu
Sungai Apit
Siak
Merbau
Tebingtinggi
Rupat
Tembelihan
Reteh
Gaung Anak Serkah
Kateman
Mandah
Kualainderagiri
Enok
Rengat
Pekanheran
Airmolek
Pangkalan Kuras
Bunut
Kualakampar
and along Siak River

Mainland Riau Malay is made up of 13 sub-dialects and is widely spoken at:

Dumai
Mandau
Bangko
Kubu
Tanahliat
Peranan
Cerenti
Taluk
Lubuk Jambi
Baserah
Bangkinang
Kampar
Rambah
Kuntu
Darussalam
Tandun
Kepenuhan
Tembusai
Langgam
and Pekanbaru Kota

Would you like to compare the similarities between Riau Malay and our Bahasa Baku?

and some differences?

Top of Bahasa Melayu Riau

Back to Malaysia Map

Homepage