KUALA LUMPUR: Bahasa Malaysia is the national language and should be known by all patriotic Malaysians, says Datuk Awang Hashim.

       The Deputy Human Resources Minister(PN-Pendang) said this during Question Time in Parliament on Wednesday (Nov 17) when Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) interjected.

       Cha had asked the PAS MP whether he agreed that all job interviews in the country should be conducted in BM.

       "I want to ask what your personal opinion is if the job interview was conducted in English? The entire country knows what you did to a reporter recently," said Cha.

       This comes after video showing Awang and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad allegedly harassing a female reporter after she posed questions on the ban of gaming outlets in Kedah went viral on Sunday (Nov 14) night.

       In a brief video, the two PAS leaders also questioned the reporter's nationality while making personal remarks about the reporter's family during the incident.

       Awang was also heard insisting the female reporter ask the question in BM while demanding respect for himself first.

       Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun - who was presiding over the session then - had told Awang that he does not have to answer Cha as the DAP MP's question was out of the topic.

       However, Awang chose to reply to Cha.

       "Thank you and it's good that I'm able to answer this question. Bahasa Malaysia is the national language, so it must be used in all sectors except when foreign investors don't understand - then it is English," said Awang.

       "But we are Malaysians and we are patriotic. The use of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language is enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution," added Awang.