Malaysia has deviated from the vision of Tunku
Published on: Sunday, April 03, 2022
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Tunku Abdul Rahman
The nation’s founder Tunku Abdul Rahman during the formation of Malaysia assured Sabah and Sarawak in Parliament that while Bahasa Kebangsaan, as it was called then, is compulsory for students to pass Form Five to obtain a full certificate, it will not replace the important position of English Language.
It is in the Hansard and I urge your paper to seek an extract and publish it in full.
He said university education will be in English so that the new Malaysia will stay globally competitive.
Fifty years later, the Malaysia that has evolved is so remote from the vision of the nation’s founder.
With economic opportunities getting fewer, the younger generation should not be prevented from seeking their fortunes abroad by downgrading English.
No nation abroad would want to hire them as they would be unable to speak and write in English, which is the language of globalisation. Not Bahasa Malaysia.
While we should be proud of Bahasa Malaysia, we must consider that those who speak Bahasa number only about 33 million and all are in Malaysia and a few hundred thousand in Brunei.
Even the Bahasa Indonesia that is spoken by nearly 300 million Indonesians is different with only certain words having similarities with Bahasa Malaysia.
Hence, from Indonesia’s point of view, Bahasa Indonesia should be Asean’s second language.
Sending an accompanying letter in Bahasa Malaysia to the US Secretary of State with an English translation also sounds absurd.
What are we trying to prove?
Requiring foreign students to learn Bahasa takes the cake.
As it is our private universities and colleges, even public ones, are facing financial constraints and rely on foreign students, including from China.
This policy should first have been floated to the private colleges and universities for feedback.
Only if feasible, it should be discussed at the Federal Cabinet level.
Students come to Malaysia because it is cheaper to get their degree from doing a twinning programme with the campus of a linked reputable foreign university.
Their time is precious and don’t expect to be burdened with learning another language.
When they return to their countries they would be speaking in their native tongue or English. Certainly not Bahasa.
What is startling is that a major policy decision is announced at a political party congress.
One can understand if it was merely a proposal made at the gathering.
How is this supposed to instil confidence in investors is a wonder.
I fully support the proposal by Minister of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs, Datuk Maximus Ongkili and Deputy Federal Education Minister Datuk Mohd Alamin to pursue autonomy on education matters for the Bornean states.
Let the rot stay in the peninsula.
Pro-MA63
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