Opposition defies plan to revive English<\/p>\n
Jalil Hamid, Reuters, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Islamic opposition on Monday joined hands with Chinese
\neducationists opposing the government's controversial plan to
\nreintroduce English in schools to teach mathematics and science.<\/p>\n
At the weekend, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned
\ndissenting educationists not \"to play with fire\", saying they
\nrisked sparking mistrust among Malaysia's ethnic groups.<\/p>\n
Abdul Hadi Awang, leader of Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS)
\nwhich wants to turn Malaysia into a Muslim theocracy, said his
\nparty sided with the Chinese teachers on the issue.<\/p>\n
\"PAS supports the stand by Chinese educationists such as the
\nJiao Zhong Chinese School Teachers Association to defend the use
\nof their mother tongue in teaching science and maths in Chinese
\nschools,\" Hadi said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Next to race and religion, education and language are among
\nthe most sensitive subjects in multi-cultural Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Mahathir wants to bring English back to classrooms, three
\ndecades after it was phased out in favor of the national language
\nBahasa Malaysia. He is doing this in order to create a labor
\nforce more able to compete in a globalised world, where the
\nknowledge economy is of increasing importance.<\/p>\n
Many Malays, Chinese and Indians fear the move could undermine
\ntheir own language schools and threaten their ethnic identity.
\nAlthough English and Bahasa Malaysia are compulsory subjects in
\nall Malaysian schools, the language of instruction varies.<\/p>\n
Others doubt whether the new government strategy will make
\npupils better at English, or mathematics, or science.<\/p>\n
\"This is not a racial issue and there is no racial
\nconfrontation over it, as it is not one race but all races who
\nare upset by the proposal,\" said Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the
\nopposition Chinese-based Democratic Action Party.<\/p>\n
Mahathir wants to bring Malaysia's races together more,
\nfearing they have become more distant from each other despite the
\npeace between them during his 21-year rule.<\/p>\n
Malays, who are virtually all Muslim, make up just over half
\nof Malaysia's 23 million people.<\/p>\n
Ethnic Chinese and Indians, who form one-third of the
\npopulation, are already wary of PAS's agenda to introduce Islam's
\nhudud penal code, which allows the stoning to death of adulterers
\nand apostates and amputation of limbs for thieves.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said the government would not bow to opposition over
\nhis language plan, which is due to come into effect in January.<\/p>\n
The Dong Jiao Zhong, representing Chinese school boards and
\nteachers' associations, opposes the plan and fears it could
\neventually lead to the phasing out of teaching in Chinese.<\/p>\n
But Mahathir warned Chinese teachers to stop stoking fears
\nover non-existent plans.<\/p>\n
\"If anyone were to incite racial sentiment to the extent of
\ncreating disharmony, action will be taken before it happens,\" the
\nprime minister said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/opposition-defies-plan-to-revive-english-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}