News

  • Nation
  • World Updates
  • Courts
  • Parliament
  • Columnists
  • Opinion
  • Honours List

Friday July 3, 2009

Let’s not lag behind as jaguh kampung


I WAS born 48 years ago and was the last batch to sit for the LCE, MCE and HSC. I am a better person today because my parents sent me to an English medium school despite the many negative remarks from those who just didn’t want to see progress. My elder siblings speak perfect English, and so do most of those in that age group too.

Speaking English doesn’t make you less Malay, less Chinese, less Indian or less Malay­sian for that matter.

It was very depressing when I met many local graduates who had difficulty expressing themselves in English. This hinders them in many job and promotion opportunities.

I know they can express themselves better in Malay, or Chinese, or even Tamil, but in an international arena where English is the required form of communication/language, they lose out. This is especially so if they want to work and excel in a multinational company.

It would be even better if they could master a few more languages like Mandarin, Japanese or even Spanish.

I was given an international assignment during the last six years in Shenzhen, working for an American company because I am able to communicate in English with foreign customers and visitors. I regret that I don’t speak Mandarin or Cantonese that will make it even easier to compete here.

Therefore, I hope all the leaders whom we Malaysians entrusted in the last general election will make the policy change with a clear conscience and open mind for the future of all Malaysians.

We will be on par with, if not better than, many others if we had stuck to the LCE, MCE and HSC exams, and continued using English as the medium of instruction in universities.

Another compelling factor to consider is that our Thai, Singaporean, Indian and Indonesian colleagues have no worry accepting overseas assignments because they can bring along their families and put their children in international schools. When they return home at the end of their stint, their children can go to any school as they still have English medium schools back home.

In the case of Malaysians, putting our kids in international schools back home will cost a bomb. As a result, many Malaysians turn down overseas assignments and forgo the opportunities. Some leave behind their families, resulting in lots of family problems.

I believe our education system needs a total revamp right from the pre-school level. Our children can focus on English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil or Hindi languages as at this age, they can pick up language extremely fast. Subsequently, we can make English the medium for all subjects, with compulsory credit hours for Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil languages.

We need to ensure that future Malaysians are competitive enough to survive anywhere and that there will be only one Bangsa Malay­sia as everyone understands everyone’s language to live in harmony and, above all, be respected internationally.

Otherwise, Malaysians will continue lagging behind as Jaguh Kampung.

SABARUDIN,

Shenzhen, China.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

News Poll