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Transisi masa seiring usia mengubah diri kita seadanya
Malaysians should not be biased and prejudiced towards learning English

BY: CHRISTOPHER FERNANDEZ
Near my home in Bangsar, I flagged a red-and-white public taxi to go to the hospital. When the taxi stopped, it was a Malay driver and I asked him if he could take me to UMMC (Universiti Malaya Medical Centre).
I spoke in Malay: “Tolong hantar saya ke UMMC” and the driver looked puzzled and asked me: Mana?” and I realized he didn’t know UMMC and I promptly told him “PPUM” (Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya) and he agreed.
As I sat in the taxi, I asked him: “You tak tahu mana UMMC?” and his reply puzzled me when he said: “Saya Melayu Encik, saya tak tahu dan tak guna Bahasa Inggeris,” which turned out to be a real revelation to me.
So I told him: “Oh, jadi kalau Melayu, you tak boleh guna Bahasa Inggeris?” and he told me most Malays don’t use English and I immediately gave up trying to give him a lesson on the importance of knowing English.
The bias and prejudice towards English
It is really absurd and sheer folly to ignore the importance of the English language in a borderless world as it has been chosen en bloc by the whole wide world as the medium of communication.
Even Mandarin, while growing in importance, pales in comparison to the widespread use of the English language, and while Bahasa Malaysia is respected as the national language, it also does not compare to the importance of English.
There seems to be a consensus among Malays especially that they should “boycott” the use of the English language and this bias and prejudice towards the English language is only endangering and jeopardizing their future.
It is high time for the Malay community to discard their parochial and narrow minded view towards the English language and instead learn to master and acquire proficiency in this language for their betterment and own good.
Using English to face globalization
Malays better wake up quickly and urgently to the growing specter of globalization as, if they are weak and not fluent in the use of English language skills, they are going to lag behind in achieving progress and prosperity.
Instead of fighting shy and trying to evade the necessity to study and master the English language, Malays must instead take the bull by the horns and develop their English language skills to the highest possible level.
There are numerous opportunities and advantages to be taken advantage of by being able to handle the use of the English language and Malays should wise up to this reality as quickly as possible.
This does not mean they should neglect their prowess in the Malay language which is their heritage or mother tongue but they must have a sense of having dual capability in these two languages.
The consequences of ignoring the importance of English
Ignore the great importance of the English language at your own peril and face up to the consequences of being weak and having a bleak future living in an isolated setting detached from the rest of the world.
There is a body of evidence produced by experts in multiple languages that the use and importance of the English language will not diminish but will only grow stronger in its reach and influence.
Malaysian leaders and educationists must not downplay the importance of the English language and they must in unison strive to emphasise on its teaching and learning in pre-school, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities.
Choose now, once and for all, and let the stance be made with regard to the English language and prosper by learning the language or perish by ignoring and being biased and prejudiced towards the language that is the actual passport to the world.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher