English Ban Stirs Malaysia Debate

CAIRO – Plans by the Malaysian government to use the local Malay language instead of English in teaching science and math is sparking a hot debate in the southeast Asian Muslim country.

"English has been used as the language of science for 300 years," P.S. Han, a secondary school teacher, told The New York Times on Friday, July 10.

"You cannot really convey the scientific concepts to the students in Bahasa Malaysia at a very high level."

The government announced Wednesday plans to scrap English and use the national language, Bahasa Malaysia, in teaching science and math by 2012.

The government argues that the students' grades have declined since English was first applied in teaching the two subjects in 2003.

In return, the government decided to increase the number of English teachers in schools and extending the teaching hours and methods.

"We have to face the fact that science knowledge is in English," Han, the teacher, said.

Shazlin Aidani, a mother of three, was also critical of the government decision.

"When they graduate and go to work everything will be in English, not Bahasa," she said.

Economic Impact

Opponents warn that the decision would weigh heavily on Malaysia's economic competitiveness.

"If less and less Malaysians know English, how are multinational companies going to come into this country?" Khoo Kay Kim, emeritus professor of Malaysian history at the University of Malaysia, said.

"If we don't have the workforce who can fit into multinational companies, how are they going to come here?"

Malaysia has been complaining from deteriorating levels of University graduates in sophisticated fields, adding burdens to employers who find it hard to hire new employees despite increasing number of unemployment.

The problem risks crippling the country's ability to attract multi-national corporations (MNCs) and undermining its efforts to become a developed country.

"We used to lead Asia in terms of English, and now we have allowed ourselves to slip below other Asian countries," Khoo said.

But the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, an independent research organization, has a different opinion.

"The business community feels that English is imperative for Malaysia's international competitiveness," said chief executive Michael Yeoh.

He said Malaysia needs to improve English standards, doubting how could teaching science and math in English could hinder the process.

"We don't really know exactly how this could impede on the study of English."