English is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism. Knowing English increases your chances of getting a good job in a multinational company within your home country or of finding work abroad.
– Unknown
In an interview with a national paper last Sunday, former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam complimented Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his excellent command of Bahasa Malaysia and English.
I’m sure we can all agree with Musa. Yes, Muhyiddin is an adept English speaker. He handles the language very well with clear diction and almost perfect pronunciation. He does not have a slang; it is his own voice and style of polished English.
It is no secret that over the past two or three decades, the standard of English among the younger generations of Malaysians has deteriorated, and dismally. The failure of the English language in Malaysia mirrors the broad failure of our education policy, so it has been acknowledged.
It is noteworthy that Muhyiddin did not receive his tertiary education overseas but at home in Universiti Malaya (UM) where he graduated in 1971.
We tend to assume that those educated abroad are usually more fluent in English but the prime minister is an example to the contrary. Muhyiddin is a “home grown product” who excels in English.
This could only mean one thing — Malaysia was on the right track in years gone by with an education system of quality and international standard. Our graduates could easily find suitable jobs at home and abroad. They were employable then unlike the gloomy situation our graduates are in today.
Those of the prime minister’s generation could, therefore, count their blessings for having received a solid foundation in English.
(Although I am a decade younger than the prime minister, I consider myself lucky too for being among possibly the last generation of Malaysians who went to school when English was the main medium of instruction. Thanks, of course, to our mission schools in Sarawak.)
Muhyiddin was born in 1947 and is 74 today. A Muar boy, he had his early education in his hometown, and completed secondary school at the Muar High School, Johor, before entering UM.
This was from the late 1950s to early 1970s. UM was the premier university and an institution of international repute then. Today, UM is ranked a miserable 301 spot of the Times Higher Education Ranking (2021). What a shame, really!
The quality of students accepted into UM must surely be a factor. That means the rot began at the school level after English has been side-lined.
Who were responsible for this sorry state of affairs in our education system?
A Malaysiakini reader was quick to respond to that poser when I raised the issue in my column in the news portal last month.
He wrote: “The rot started with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and continued with his prodigy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and furthered and deepened by every other “education minister” since including completely farcical Dr Maszlee Malik and now whoever the heck the education minister is.
On Malaysian leaders speaking poor English overseas, he commented, “Malaysia’s economic future lies in the world, not domestic, and indeed it would be terribly shameful to Malaysians if “bloken Inglis” is spoken at world forums, especially in this day and age, if world powers are left scratching their scrotums in bilateral talks or negotiations what the Malaysian delegation has just said in its Ingris.”
First point: We must seriously address the deteriorating standard of English. Our leaders must not play politics on such an issue and on the education system as a whole.
Sarawakians must be happy and proud that the late chief minister, Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, has declared English as the second official language in the state. Adenan understood the importance of English. Yes, Malaysia must respect the importance of English as the international language of communication.
Second point: I think it is important for Malaysian leaders to take pains to quickly learn the language and speak proper English at international forums.
Nothing will help your political career more than developing the ability to speak English well and with confidence.
Let me say it bluntly. If any minister wants to represent the nation and Malaysia abroad, please don’t embarrass yourself and the country with your “rojak English”. If you are hopeless in English, I suggest you stay home.
Finally, let me appeal to the prime minister to utilise his power to revamp the education system to enable Malaysians to quickly pick up the English language too just as he was given the opportunity during his school days. Malaysians need English to succeed on the global stage.
Dear Muhyiddin, I believe you know the right thing to do.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
