In Excel 2003 this used to be set in:
Tools - Options - International - Show/Hide control characters.

Now

hi, !

In Excel 2003 this used to be set in:
Tools - Options - International - Show/Hide control characters.

Now ...

try with vba, application.controlcharacters = true/false (although...)
this property can be settled only if there is installed and selected a language version configured from right to left

for the GUI you need an OS running right to left compatibility (i.e far east from WXP-SP2)
also, you need to enable that language (see online-help for office characteristics for writting right to left)
for you can see in the ribbon the available options for an specific language

(online-help is full of related information)

hth,
hector.