Malaysiakini.com （http://www.malaysiakini.com）
(1)Bring back Queen's English, I say!, 17 February 2009
by Saad Hashim
When it comes to boycott of everything American, I wish to call for a boycott of a different kind which to my mind, is more profound because this may hurt the US in a big way. It would also be a good soul-cleansing exercise on our part, all Malaysians.
My suggestion is we should ban the use of American English in this country in whatever form and return to Queen's English.
You may not agree with me but American English (especially the one used by those American rap singers) is the medium of a decadent popular culture while Queen's English is still a tool for great literature, culture and good manners.
Just look at how we have become everything American - the way we talk, the way we eat, the way we sing, the way act, the way we dress, all which reflect decadence.
I hate watching some bimbo on TV presenting (surprise, surprise, the English Premier League football, speaking American English and exposing her navel while their male yobs don't even tuck in their shirts, especially the long-sleeved one).
And just look at Tony Fernandes, the AirAsia chief, who wear his red baseball hat even in an indoor formal function in the presence of the prime minister or deputy prime minister. Had he done it at a golf club or a club with strict dress code, he would have been blackballed a long time ago.
Thus, due to the preponderance of American English we have come to a point where Malaysians now practically think, talk, discuss and argue, breathe, eat, drink and dress like Americans.
And this means our young people are spending billions of ringgit every year consuming American popular culture in the form of food and lifestyle which we can well do without. This is also depicting that we Malaysians are nothing but a bunch of pak turut, ‘monkey see, monkey do’.
The worst part of American English is that of late, it has been hijacked by African American artistes who have injected their own kind of English, many a time accompanied by obscene expressions which are then being copied by our pop groups.
If at all we want to pursue English as a language of communication, science, art and culture, why can’t we stick with Queen’s English which continues to insist on proper grammar and the correct of use of words?
Not ‘bread’ (for money) ‘pig’ or ‘heat’ (for policemen) etc, of American English, etc.
Or why can’t we make a big leap forward by dumping English altogether and adopting French or German which are equally good as a language for science.
And after all, French cuisine is far superior to the American hotdog or burger.
(2) Keep English for maths and science, 10 March 2009
by Jason LKH
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Language march: Tear gas fired.
I am very disturbed by the coalition against the teaching of science and maths in English (GMP) which wants to put an end to the language switch just after eight years of implementation. I would like to put forth a few points.
Firstly, would teaching mathematics and science in English erode the spirit of the national language as enshrined in the federal constitution? Let’s consider Singapore. Singapore’s national language as enshrined in its constitution is Bahasa Melayu. But all subjects are taught in English and each major ethnic group is required to take up their mother tongue language. So we have not come to their level yet.
Currently in Malaysia, all subjects except for science and mathematics are taught in Bahasa Malaysia, so what is the fuss? By coming forth to protest in the name of the national language rather than raise concerns of the accessibility of rural schools to resources that would empower both teachers and students to teach and study these subjects in English is definitely off tangent.
Let me digress to point out the weaknesses in the implementation of this policy so far:
1. The ministry implemented the policy cross-sectionally meaning, all of a sudden, students who had been studying mathematics and science (M&S) in their mother tongue had to adapt to the language switch.
I was one of them, starting with Mandarin (in primary school), followed by Bahasa Malaysia (in secondary school) and finally English (for STPM). All the transitions I experienced were tiring.
What the ministry should have done was implement the teaching of maths and science in English starting from primary school or secondary school, instead of injecting it at different transition points.
2. I had firsthand experience with freshly-graduated maths and science teacher struggling to teach the subjects in English because of their formal training in Bahasa Malaysia. This compared to the veterans who were trained in English but taught in Bahasa Malaysia initially.
Unfortunately, most of them are retiring in a few years time. If five years were to be given to train and produce teachers to teach maths and science in English prior to the policy’s implementation, the teachers would had been able to effectively teach the subjects in English.
3. Prior to implementing this new policy, rural schools were already facing problems with teaching and resources. The hurried implementation certainly made things more difficult for them.
One may argue, ‘Look at Japan, Germany, Korea, China, Indonesia. They could teach the subjects in their national language, why can’t we?’ As pointed out by AB Sulaiman, the Malay language is insufficiently mature to handle all the technical terms used today in the scientific world.
If we were to continue our pursuit to study match and science in Bahasa Malaysia, will there be sufficient and efficient resources to translate scientific journals out there into Bahasa Malaysia so that all students can benefit from the pool of scientific knowledge to discover new things to be on par with international standards?
As Francis Collins in his book The Language of God, which embodied the wisdom of Woodrow Wilson, said, ‘I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.’ How can we go global\ if we are not able to translate scripts to Bahasa Malaysia?
On another note, I am currently studying at the National University of Singapore. I have met students from China, India, Germany, Japan and Indonesia. Guess what?
Most of them can articulate their points in English for both subjects and they are able to study the subjects in English, despite their solid training in their mother tongue languages.
Will we be able to produce students who are capable of this if science and maths were to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia? I hope so! Well, there are many Malaysian students abroad who are living testimony to this, but not without a cost for we had to play our part to adapt to the English language.
English is certainly the way forward. I would like to encourage both the government and the opposition (I was surprised to know some members of the opposition are for the abolishment of the policy) to remain resilient in maintaining the policy.
A batch of students trained in English for the subjects will be emerging in five years time and we’ll then see the fruits of this new policy – a tri or bi-lingual student, prepared to face an increasingly, if not globalised world, putting an end to a vicious cycle of damage to our education system.
May God give strength and wisdom to our leaders to refine this policy for the future of Malaysia in this fast-paced world.
(3)English policy: Time to make a stand, 11 March 2009
by Sudhagar Raghavan
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Language march: Tear gas fired.
I find it difficult to fathom the objectives and the mindset of the so-called peaceful protestors who marched from Masjid Negara to Istana Negara last Saturday, apparently to submit a protest memorandum to Yang Di Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin against the policy of using English to teach Science and Mathematics.
The ministry of education has been very receptive to public opinion and had been in discussion with various stakeholders to get their feedback on the policy.
There is also very healthy debate going on in the electronic and print mainstream media (MSM) as well as in blogosphere where opinions are shared and debated in a civilised and intellectual manner.
What is more disappointing was the presence of senior politicians and members of Parliament who had been voted in by the rakyat to bring up, debate and decide on precisely such key national issues in Parliament.
It is indeed perplexing why these politicians had resorted to street protests and the submitting of a memorandum to the King to make their opinion heard rather than using appropriate and legitimate democratic avenues to present their views.
It was highly distressing to see that these protestors not only had no permit for the gathering, but also behaved in an uncivilised manner by defying police orders to disperse and causing a massive traffic jam.
The importance of English in this ‘Flat World’ cannot be over-stated. Like it or not, English has emerged as the lingua franca of the business, scientific and technological fields. Those we do not possess the mastery of the language are at a severe disadvantage.
One of the key factors that makes Malaysia attractive to foreign investment and tourism is our mastery of English. Malaysians are also much sought after in the job market around the world due to our English proficiency.
Countries that in the past ignored English to protect their national languages now have realised their mistake. China, Korea and Japan are some of the nations which now very focused on developing the English mastery of their citizens.
Korean parents, for example, often spend a fortune to send their children to the US for several months just learn the language.
It was reported that 92.7% of students who sat for the 2008 STPM examination opted to answer in English for their science and mathematics papers. This clearly shows that the policy, while not without weaknesses, has been generally successful and accepted by the students.
By opposing the usage of English, these politicians and NGOs are sabotaging the future of our children and the long-term competitiveness of the nation.
It is time for the silent majority of Malaysians to make their voices heard, stand up for our children’s and the country’s future.
I have initiated an on-line petition campaign and a Facebook Page in support of this policy. I urge all right thinking Malaysians to join me in supporting the teaching of science and mathematics in English by signing up at either or both of these pages.
(4)Confine English to the liberal arts subjects, 26 March 2009
by Mansor Puteh
There is no argument on the importance of English for international communication and for the acquisition of knowledge, using the books and reading materials that we have today.
In fact, in today’s world, it is useful if one knows a few other languages. It is not difficult to learn any language for informal and everyday communication. After all, one only needs to know a few hundred words in any language to be able to speak in it.
In fact, many non-Malays in Malaysia only have, at the most, 100 words in the Malay language, and yet they can still understand pretty much what their Malay friends are saying although they may not understand much of what they hear from news reports on television or talk shows that are in Malay.
But what I find strange is how some people think that by getting the primary students to study mathematics and science in English, they can improve their understanding of this language.
What if students do not like these subjects and cannot excel in it? Are they going to be bad in it? Far from it.
Most of those who speak and write well in English are those who may not necessarily be those who excel in these two subjects. Studying mathematics and science in English cannot ensure that the students can grow up to be good in the language.
I did not excel in any of these two subjects, yet, I am using this language more than the average Malaysians and have also written books.
I kept abreast with the language by watching American programmes that were shown on television because since a very young age, I had wanted to go to America to study.
English must be taught for the liberal arts subjects - not the technical ones - such as history and geography where there is a chance for the students to use the language.
And this is where they also learn about diction, pronunciation and intonation.
If this is not done, many Malaysians will end up speaking English with some strange accent that no one else will understand. Just listen to Phua Chu Kang, of the sitcom fame and see what I mean.
Ironically, those who excel in mathematics and science are the ones who are worse off when it comes to speaking in the English language. How much English can one learn if one learns it through mathematics and science which are dry subjects that do not offer much leeway for creativity?
I do not know where they got the idea that by encouraging students to study mathematics and science in English, one could master the language. Where is the proof?
Even if one gets a distinction for these two subjects, one still cannot speak in English well, as demonstrated by those who had done so for their STPM examinations and who were interviewed on television where they spoke in broken English.
Worse, their vocabulary is limited.
The study of mathematics and sciences in English does not encourage any student to expand his vocabulary of the language which can happen only if he is taught the language via liberal arts subjects where there is scope to expand.
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