What do you know what we students, who are the prey of this stupid system, feel? You never went through it yourself. It’s ok for you who’ve been taught in the language but what about us who haven’t? We can barely cope with the two subjects in bahasa let alone in English. Think about it.

You go on about Malaysia being unable to advance because we’re not learning in English. Well, do you think we’d be able to go even further if we can’t even understand a thing taught in class? The whole thing’s ridiculous. Not all Malaysians are planning to be scientists or mathematicians or politicians. What’s the purpose of learning until such a high level when you don’t even use it? I mean, what’s the use of a tailor learning maths in English when he only needs basic maths? It’s a pure waste.

You are absolutely right.

That is what we are arguing for.

Let it be taught in BM. But let the English option remain.

But if you see the arguments of some of the opponents, they are not arguing for the option. They are trying to hide behind “protecting the national language” and want it to be taught only in BM. I think it’s a fear that they will be disadvantaged if the English option remains, so their strategy is to have a policy to hold others back. “If I can’t do it, neither must I allow you to, for you might become better than me!”

2. The rural kids can’t cope and therefore can’t benefit from the “advantage”. The opposite effects occur: they become more disadvantaged.

3. Their solution? Level the field so that the rural kids look better? After all an A is an A whether in English or BM.

4. The effect of that? The advantage that would have been gained amongst those kids who could have coped, especially gifted kids whose potential is only limited by the government’s policy. And the effect of that, we breed generations of mediocre kids whose only hope for a job is locally. And our uni degrees lose their credibility – they become mediocre.

5. Finally? The Chinese kids are going to learn in Chinese and BM (and struggle in uni), the well-to-do Malays will send their kids abroad or to an international school for an English-medium education and an advantage in life.

6. Why not maximise our potential? Let those who can cope gain the advantage, no? Unfair to the ones that can’t cope? Make everyone mediocre so that the mediocre look good? A self destructive strategy.

7. By the way, how many foreign university graduates were amongst the crowd? How many of them have produced papers in internationally acclaimed journals?

On one hand you are worried about us not keeping pace with other nations in science and technology, but the teaching of the subjects themselves are compromised because of this half-baked policy. On the other hand you gloss over the measure which best solves the problem of poor English language standard, which is improve the teaching of the subject itself. Why not just increase the class time of English language lessons in school and leave the teaching of science and maths in which ever language the pupils are most proficient in? And the language that pupils are most proficient in usually happens to be their mother-tongue.

I pity Malaysian children. Without a good command of the English language, how do you propose to transfer technology ?

Yes – 5,000 people marched against the PPSMI. In Malaysia, Malay-Muslim NGOs and political groups have made street demonstrations their modus operandi.

As a Singaporean and an onlooker – I have basically written off Malaysia as another failed state within the Muslim world.

Best Regards
Dr Syed Alwi

It is to our children’s advantage to be learned in another language besides our national language be it Tamil, Mandarin, Japanese, French, etc. Language must be taught when kids are young. It is not easy to MASTER two languages let alone three. But we can set the path of our kids to be multi- or bilingual by introducing a second language to them from kindergarten onwards. Perhaps our policy-makers can talk to linguistic experts around the world. One good example of a bi-lingualism policy is just across the causeway i.e. Singapore. Most Singaporeans are bi-lingual and most speak two languages well. How did they do it?

If you think that the PPSMI policy has mass support, show the proof to us. Go to the streets if you dare support the policy, I challenge you.

- MENJ

Not that the present system is 100% effective, but I do think that the standard of English in Malaysia needs to be given a boost, quickly.

Do we have that option?