Penang Sign Language (Malay: Bahasa Isyarat Pulau Pinang) was developed in Malaysia by deaf children, outside the classroom, when oralism was predominant.
Deaf students went to FSD, to learn oral skills, not sign language.
In the 1960s, Tan Yap went to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. to learn deaf culture and sign language.
In the same year, Frances Parsons went to Kuala Lumpur to meet with Mahathir Mohamad, the Minister of Education.
In the next few days, Mahathir announced new legislation that obliged schools in Malaysia to teach Total Communication and Sign Language.