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Joined: 18 Oct 2014
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 Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 7:10 am Post subject: Malacca Sultan Urges English Education for Malaysia |
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Johor Sultan says Malaysia should adopt Singapore policy on English in schools
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Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has taken politicians to task over the state of Malaysia's education system, saying they were in denial over the value of using English as a medium of instruction to forge unity.
The Star today reported the Johor Sultan said Malaysia should emulate Singapore, where the prominent use of English had given the republic a leading edge.
"One thing that we can learn from Singapore is their way of forging national unity via their education system.
“The use of English as a medium of instruction has been effective in the development of the country and uniting their people regardless of race or religion.
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He said having an education system based on a single stream for students would ensure a more harmonious society able to face future challenges together.
Having schools with English as the medium of instruction did not mean the national language would be abandoned, the Johor ruler said, as Bahasa Malaysia can still be made compulsory, as well as Chinese and Tamil languages. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 7:53 am Post subject: |
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| Hmm, I thought most people in Malaysia spoke English. Not disagreeing with the Sultan, but I don't think poor English proficency is a major problem of the country. |
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Leon
Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:40 am Post subject: |
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| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Hmm, I thought most people in Malaysia spoke English. Not disagreeing with the Sultan, but I don't think poor English proficency is a major problem of the country. |
In my experience, it is very widespread and I had no problem getting around with just English in the month or so I spent there. Maybe in more rural parts or in Borneo, but I've haven't been there so I'm not sure. |
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Plain Meaning
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
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| Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Hmm, I thought most people in Malaysia spoke English. Not disagreeing with the Sultan, but I don't think poor English proficency is a major problem of the country. |
The Sultan does not appeared to be worried about English proficiency, he is concerned about multi-ethnic unity. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Plain Meaning wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Hmm, I thought most people in Malaysia spoke English. Not disagreeing with the Sultan, but I don't think poor English proficency is a major problem of the country. |
The Sultan does not appeared to be worried about English proficiency, he is concerned about multi-ethnic unity. |
Yeah, he should look at Indonesia. It has hundreds of languages, but everyone speaks Indonesian (allegedly the easiest language in the world to learn). It's the only language spoken in schools and in the work place. Language is the one unifier of the country (ok, and maybe nasi padang). Alas, Indonesia has had a lot more ethnic conflict in its history than Malaysia has (at least since Singapore became independent). Federalism post-Suharto has probably helped the country more than anything else...
You know what would be a great way to help bring more unity to Malaysia? Getting rid of bumiputra laws and policies... |
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Plain Meaning
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
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| Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak: Chinese schools here to stay
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The prime minister also gave his assurance that Chinese schools were here to stay. However, he stressed that there was a need for society to work towards national cohesion and unity.
As such, he said, the direction of Malaysia's future would be charted based on the principles of the Social Contract and the Federal Constitution.
He said it was Barisan Nasional's policy to ensure that the nation's progress is based on the foundations of wasatiyyah (moderation) and a progressive Malaysia.
"We will continue to believe in the multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-religious society based on the principles of moderation. That is the policy of BN," he said.
Najib said while it was ideal for the education stream to come under one roof, nevertheless, a single-stream schooling system was not part of the social contract.
"I know, (having) different schools with different streams aren't ideal, but that's not our (part of our) Social Contract. Our Social Contract allows for different streams and we live with it.
"(But) we must all believe that national harmony, unity and cohesion are ideals that we must aspire to achieve."
Malaysia is the only Southeast Asian nation outside of Taiwan and China to have Chinese education, proof that BN cares for the Chinese community, said Najib.
He said the discussion of having single-stream schools was decided when the country attained independence, and urged the people to move on. |
I am sure English teachers would prefer that Malaysia's education system unite under a common language, English. It looks like it will not happen anytime soon. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="bucheon bum"]
| Plain Meaning wrote: |
| You know what would be a great way to help bring more unity to Malaysia? Getting rid of bumiputra laws and policies... |
You think it would help? I think it would just increase resentment towards the Chinese, lesser so towards the Indians.
Anyways, I find it ironic, they need affirmative action like laws for the majority, in a country the majority runs. But I guess that's the power of deeply-rooted money, and business, largely controlled by their minority groups. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:43 am Post subject: |
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| Realities of teaching in Malaysia get thoroughly discussed on Daves' Malaysia forum. I visited the Borneo side to check it out in person a couple years ago. Opportunities exist but its not an easy or lucrative proposition. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| jvalmer wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| You know what would be a great way to help bring more unity to Malaysia? Getting rid of bumiputra laws and policies... |
You think it would help? I think it would just increase resentment towards the Chinese, lesser so towards the Indians.
Anyways, I find it ironic, they need affirmative action like laws for the majority, in a country the majority runs. But I guess that's the power of deeply-rooted money, and business, largely controlled by their minority groups. |
Well the reason for the laws is the Chinese run the country economically.
And Indians are at the bottom both politically and economically, so if there is any resentment towards them, it isn't the same type of resentment directed towards the Chinese.
edited to clean up quotes.
Last edited by bucheon bum on Mon Oct 19, 2015 7:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:42 am Post subject: |
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| bucheon bum wrote: |
| And Indians are at the bottom both politically and economically, so if there is any resentment towards them, it isn't the same type of resentment directed towards the Chinese. |
You sure they're at the bottom? Indians bat pretty high within the professional ranks in Malaysia. Doctors, engineers, lawyers... |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 7:08 am Post subject: |
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| jvalmer wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| And Indians are at the bottom both politically and economically, so if there is any resentment towards them, it isn't the same type of resentment directed towards the Chinese. |
You sure they're at the bottom? Indians bat pretty high within the professional ranks in Malaysia. Doctors, engineers, lawyers... |
Yep, I'm pretty sure
The Indians you describe are recent arrivals.
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| Their ancestors came several generations ago from southern India. They toil for a pittance in Malaysia's rubber plantations, just as their ancestors did. |
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| Today, the Indian community in Malaysia, once largely a community of plantation workers, has become diversified with a sprinkling of entrepreneurs, intellectuals and technical professionals. Though the vast majority of Indians in Malaysia still lag behind Malays and Chinese in socio-economic terms, the new immigrants are slowly affecting change. |
NYT article
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| Some Indians in Malaysia are very rich, but a majority have not been able to move up from the lowest rungs of society. The children and grandchildren of rubber tappers, they remain poor, poorly educated and overrepresented in menial jobs. |
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