Kuala Lumpur, Jan 2: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has banned actors from parodying Bahasa Malaysia as spoken by Chinese or Indians in comedy programmes, sitcoms or drama series, said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.

"The Information Ministry has long been aware of the problem and after I took over as Information Minister, I gave clear instructions for RTM to stop airing programmes containing such acts," Zainnuddin said.

"I am fully aware that such performances are an insult to non-Malays. The new generation of non-Malays no longer speaks like that," he added.

Zainuddin, however, said that the ministry was powerless to stop the production or airings of such programmes by private television stations, the Star Online reported. (ANI)