"English is a Malaysian language", Hisham Proferred

English

Embrace English as ‘our language’

Malaysians must shed their "colonial baggage" and start viewing English as a "Malaysian language", Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today.

Saying English had a special place in Malaysia’s history because it was the language of the colonial masters, Hishammuddin reminded Malaysians that English was also "the language which our founding fathers acquired, took to London, and returned as masters of their own land".

Malaysians had traditionally been competent speakers of English and must remain so.

"Forty-eight years on, as a people increasingly confident and mature in their independence, we should not be shy to say ‘English is a Malaysian language’," Hishammuddin said.

The Government re-introduced the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English in schools about two years ago. However, examination results show a gap between rural and semi-urban schools and their urban counterparts. The Education Ministry tried to introduce additional programmes to improve English.

Hishammuddin was also instrumental in pushing for the use of English newspapers as an educational tool.

Earlier, Hishammuddin, speaking to the teachers, students and corporate figures who adopted schools as part of the programme, said English was spoken as a native language by 375 million people worldwide. Another 375 million spoke it as a second language.

This is definitely an about-turn, particularly, as it comes from none other than an UMNO Youth president; for historically, UMNO Youth had elucidated that English is associated to colonialism and that Bahasa Malaysia should be the only spoken and written language in all forums and signages; that anyone who do not, are considered as unpatriotic or unnationalistic.

Hishamuddins speech is definitely a positive sign of taking Malaysia to the path of progress towards staying relevant in the age of globalization. We must pray and hope that this part of his philosophy is adopted and adapted within his own and thoughout the nation.