Speaking English is not Unpatriotic - by Hassan Talib

Not unpatriotic

2010/04/19 NST

I CONSIDER Malaysia fortunate for having been colonised by the British.

Unlike other colonial masters, the British left behind a highly- structured public administration, an orderly system of government and, above all, the English language.

Citizens of non-Commonwealth countries struggle to be proficient in English as the language is alien to them. But not Malaysians schooled before the adoption of the National Education Policy, when Bahasa Malaysia came to be used as the medium of instruction.

The present generation views English as an alien language and has difficulty mastering it despite the efforts of the Education Ministry.

Worse still, there are some who consider English a colonial language that should not be learned if one considers oneself a true Malaysian.

Once upon a time, we put the British to shame with our Queen's English.

Today, we have to import British teachers to teach us Queen's English, as proposed by the ministry recently.

The rationale, perhaps, is that the court jester speaks better English than the young Malaysians of today.

Indeed, due to nationalistic sentiments, we are now behind other Commonwealth countries where English is concerned. Even the Scandinavians speak better English than us.

We have to be realistic that in the borderless world, English is the accepted lingua franca.

It is a universal language and not identified with the British anymore.

One is not unpatriotic for speaking Queen's English, as exemplified by our prime ministers past and present.

Our problem today is how to create a level playing field where urban and rural students can be proficient in English while not compromising on the National Education Policy. It is a tough act to juggle.

Certainly, half a loaf is better than none. But a half-baked solution will not solve the problem either.

For those who can afford it, there are international schools to turn to. But those who can't afford it have to make do with what is available. After all, some have argued that the Sekolah Kebangsaan have produced scientists and professionals and that we are on the way to achieving developed-nation status by 2020.

HASSAN TALIB
Gombak