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BERNAMA - PM ANWAR WANTS STUDENT PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH IMPROVED FROM 2024. For image info, go to https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=2247450
English language: Anwar is contradictory or hypocritical?
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30, 2023: On Aug 25, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that official letters sent to government departments must be in Malay (Bahasa Malaysia).
On Nov 23, Anwar announced that starting next year, the national education system has to improve students’ mastery of the English language while upholding the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.
He said there should be no more debate on the position of English versus Bahasa Malaysia.
“Don’t argue anymore, as if giving English importance will leave Bahasa Malaysia behind,” he said.
The following is one response found on social media:
Now, he is saying that the nation needs to elevate the level of English. Contradictory would be a kind word to describe him. Hypocritical may be more appropriate.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below three news reports on the issue:
M’sian education to focus on English mastery next year onwards, says Anwar
Giving English importance does not mean leaving Bahasa Malaysia behind, says the prime minister.
Mikha Chan - 23 Nov 2023, 10:32pm
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says if Malaysia’s economic progress and capability is to increase, Bahasa Malaysia must become the main language of knowledge. (Bernama pic)
PUTRAJAYA: Starting next year, the national education system has to improve students’ mastery of the English language while upholding the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said in a speech here that there should be no more debate on the position of English versus Bahasa Malaysia.
“Don’t argue anymore, as if giving English importance will leave Bahasa Malaysia behind,” he said.
Anwar added that if Malaysia’s economic progress and capability was to increase, Bahasa Malaysia must become the main language of knowledge, and be mastered by all Malaysians at all schools, including private and international schools.
“A child of Malaysia must master Bahasa Malaysia. At the same time, all our children, especially at national schools, must be given focus so that their mastery of English is much better than it is now, so that they can at least be bilingual.”
Anwar also stressed the necessity of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), saying a major German company making microchips had decided to invest RM25 billion in Malaysia.
“This means that we must train our TVET graduates, engineers, and others in the fields of mathematics, science, and technology to be able to fulfil the company’s needs.
“If not, they will hire experts from other countries.”
Meanwhile, Anwar also addressed the call for a meritocracy-based education system, saying while it was true that some Indians with good academic performance did not gain entrance to public universities, there were “hundreds of smart Malay children that do not get the opportunity”.
“There’s no such thing as a ‘fair competition’. Schools in Kapit, for example, compared with schools in Kuala Lumpur? How can there be a fair competition?
“This is why our policies give opportunities to those in rural schools, giving Malays more opportunities even though their results are not as good.” - FMT
English Excellence: Anwar's Bold Leap into the 21st Century?
Opinion
30 Nov 2023 • 9:00 AM MYT
A behaviourist by training, a consultant and executive coach by profession
Anwar Ibrahim's announces need to improve English proficiency. Credit: Malay Mail
By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright November 2023
In a groundbreaking revelation, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has declared that the Malaysian government is set to revolutionize English education, a move hailed as visionary by absolutely no one.
With nations in Asia rapidly advancing, it seems Malaysia has finally decided to join the linguistic party—better late than never, right?
In a speech that rivalled Shakespearean prose, Anwar Ibrahim passionately emphasized the urgent need to elevate the standard of English in the country. Because, clearly, mastering the English language is the secret sauce to economic and intellectual prosperity—move over, innovation, and critical thinking.
Despite the stirring rhetoric, the Prime Minister reassured the nation that Malay, the linguistic backbone of Malaysia, would remain unscathed. Because nothing says progress like safeguarding the language status quo.
Anwar magnanimously extended his call for English proficiency to students in private and international schools, reminding them that even in the pursuit of global linguistic dominance, one should never forget the nuances of Malay.
After all, who needs a global outlook when you can impress everyone with your command of a language spoken by roughly 0.13% of the world's population?
And let's not forget the pièce de résistance: “It is imperative that every Malaysian child, regardless of their educational institution, attains a high level of proficiency in Malay.”
Because who wouldn't want to conquer the world with flawless Malay sentences?
In conclusion, as the rest of Asia embraces technological and economic advancements, Malaysia boldly steps into the future by... improving English.
A truly groundbreaking move that will undoubtedly put the nation on the map—just make sure it's a map written in English.
I am so disillusioned by political rhetoric about improving English in this country.
Meanwhile, we remain behind other nations in the region because our children do not have the command of the language.
I hope and pray that this time, Anwar, this promise is for real. - Newsway
Official letters to govt depts must be in Malay, says Anwar
Wednesday, 25 Oct 2023
CYBERJAYA: Official letters sent to government departments must be in Malay, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said that letters which are not sent in the national language would be returned to the sender.
"I want to remind the public and private sectors of the directive that those who correspond in a language other than the national language, their letters will be sent back," he said.
Speaking at the launch of the Karnival Dekad Bahasa Kebangsaan and Dekad Membaca Kebangsaan at the Multimedia University on Wednesday (Oct 25), Anwar said that there is some confusion on emphasising the use of international languages.
"But there is an attitude taken which oversteps and deviates among some government departments, universities and private universities including the private sector which attempts to abandon the basis of the Constitution with regard to communicating with the government in the national language," he added.
Anwar said this directive should not be taken lightly, adding a clearer one would be issued by the Civil Service Department on the matter.
He said that achieving economic success would mean little if the national language, which was part of our culture, was not championed.
Of passion and perseverance
Anwar stressed that he was not taking a narrow view on the matter but one which emphasised the use of the national language.
"I remind my friends that I would not have lectured at Washington University if I had not mastered the English language. But rooting down to earth and championing of the national language is something intimate in nation building," he added.
He urged the younger generation to inculcate the habit of reading which has been adversely affected in recent years due to the advent of social media. - The Star
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