Sign of the Times

Dr Anthony Alexander Chong wants us to know that Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia is its own distinctive language

- Aaron Pereira

Born deaf, Alexander Anthony Chong began his primary education in Kod Tangan Bahasa Malaysia (KTBM). However, he soon realised that there was an underlying assumption that acquiring Malay through KTBM was expected, which posed challenges due to the lack of familiarity between the KTBM sign system and the Malay vocabulary. While he was thankful for his prior exposure to Malay, many of his classmates were struggling with their learning experience.

With a PhD in sociology and two master’s degrees in linguistics and deaf studies, Chong has been advocating the proper use and understanding of Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM) not just for the deaf community but also those intending to use it. He played an integral part in its development, transforming it from a mere communication tool into a form of artistic expression. Artists now utilise it to create their own works of art, such as poetry.