SINGAPORE: For Mr Johanan Teo and his girlfriend, Ms Marisa Lim, a shared love of Malay food helped spark a wider interest in the culture – and eventually the language.

"We both really like Malay cuisine. We really like eating at nasi padang stores. We like going to Malaysia to try new food, new Malay food as well," said Mr Teo, 29, a full-time home chef.

He counts ayam masak merah, a spicy tomato-based chicken dish, among his favourites to cook and eat.

Their interest eventually led them to sign up for conversational Malay classes at their local community club using their SkillsFuture credits this year. 

They are among a steady pool of adult learners picking up the language, some of whom are taking their learning beyond the beginner level. 

One tuition centre told CNA it is also seeing growing demand among younger students.

During his National Day Rally last month, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that given Singapore's location in the region, it would be valuable for Singaporeans to learn Malay and better appreciate Malay culture.

CONNECTING THROUGH FOOD AND MUSIC

Mr Teo and Ms Lim started with a beginner class, attending a two-hour lesson each week.

Their classmates ranged from young people like themselves to retirees, with learners supporting one another.

“Even when we make a lot of mistakes, or we don't know how to pronounce certain words. I think the spirit of the classroom was very fun. That's how we actually got very excited to learn the language over the course,”...