OFFSTONE JUNE EDITION 2024

49 Malaysian universities—University Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)—employed a quantitative approach with a simple random sampling method. Survey results indicated that social media use has varying degrees of influence on university students' communication skills and Malay language proficiency. The study found that 90% of respondents used a mixed language or Bahasa Rojak (a combination of Malay and English, often referred to as Manglish) in their daily communication on social media. Additionally, 60% of respondents admitted to using a mixture of abbreviations when writing for social media. This suggests that youth face challenges in communicating fluently in their native language, even in interactions with lecturers via WhatsApp. The study's limitations include its focus on a specific group of respondents, which may not fully represent the entire young generation in Malaysia. Future research should include a broader sample of young people. Despite these limitations, the survey results underscore the need for efforts to enhance Malay language proficiency among Malaysia's younger generation. As stated in Surah an-Najm, verse 39, we will only achieve what we strive for with effort. Closing As Malaysians, we should take pride in our national language despite the increasing prominence of English. The younger generation must uphold our national language, and we should utilize technology to promote it. Let us remember the adage, "Musnah Bahasa, Punahlah Bangsa," which underscores the critical importance of preserving our language as a vital part of our cultural identity. BIBLIOGRAPHY Awang Had Salleh (1982). Laporan Jawatankuasa Mengkaji Penggunaan Bahasa Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. Business Times, New Straits Times, November 6, 2017. Raja Muda of Perlis concerned about weak sense of identity among Malays (Bernama). Kaplan A. M. and Haenlin M. (2010) Users of the world unite the challenges and opportunities of social of social media. Business Horizons, 53 (1) 59-68. Nor Azaruddin Husni Nuruddin. 14 December 2014. “Perkembangan Teknologi Pinggir Bahasa Melayu”. BHonline. http://www.bharian.com.my/node/23108. Sabir, A. T., & Sulaiman, B. S. (2021). A comparative Study of Linguistic thought between English and Kurdish in perspective of Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Journal of Garmian University , 8 (2).