MALAYSIAN ENGLISH MOVING OPPOSITE DIRECTION SAYS HRH SULTANAH
HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah al-Marhum Sultan Idris Shah, the Sultanah of Johor’s is well known for her eloquent and thought provoking articles which usually appear in the STAR newspaper. HRH’s articles written in flawless English not only displays her excellent command of the language but also articulates her intellectuality.
HRH when delivering a royal lecture at the recent 19th Malaysian English Language Teaching Association International conference highlighted the present standard of the English language in the country. According to HRH, even countries such as China and Indonesia are now fast catching up with Malaysia and are becoming more proficient in the English language. HRH spoke about the many youth who could hardly speak or write well in English and of youth who are reluctant to participate in international conferences because they have no confidence in speaking up and writing reports in English.
What HRH said is hardly surprising at all.
At independence, Malaysia inherited English as the language of public education. However, English language soon became a politically sensitive issue and was viewed as a vestige of the colonial past. Thus, in the aftermath of the 1969 race riots and in the upsurge of Malay nationalism, government capitulated to the demands of the nationalist. The National Education Policy formulated thereafter made Bahasa Malaysia the medium of instruction in schools. That ill-thought of decision taken more than 30 years ago, started the slide of the English language proficiency in Malaysia. Once in the region, only Singapore came close to Malaysia with regard to the high standard of English . Today, we are haunted by large segment of the population who can hardly speak good English let alone write.
Like many other advantages Malaysia had at independence, Malaysia clearly has lost its language competitive advantage it once had over many countries. If the average Malaysian’s proficiency of the English language at present is at par with the Indonesians or Thai’s, why would investors and particularly those in high tech and knowledge based industries would want to invest in Malaysia. A few years ago, the then Human Resource Minister made a starling admission that there are some 60,000 unemployed graduates and mostly Malays and most of them not proficient in English.
Unless there is an admission by the government that the standard of English has really deteriorated and there is a strong will by the government to take action to stop the slide, perhaps even reversing the entrenched policies with regard to English and teaching of English (even in the face of opposition from those myopic nationalists) the standard of the English language will only deteriorate even further. The day may come when people in other countries in the region will be speaking English well while Malaysians will only be able to mutter incoherent gibberish !
Now here is an example of a write-up by a prominent Malaysian university which appeared in one of the Malaysian newspaper!.
(Enjoy reading but a health warning do not eat and drink while reading the article !)
Horror of Malaysian Education System
ADVERTORIAL
New Straits Times
23 August 2008, page 43
HONORARY DEGREE AWARD7TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY UNIVERSITY TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA
TO
YANG AMAT MULIA RAJA ZARITH SOFIAH BINTI ALMARHUMSULTAN IDRIS AL-MUTAWAKIL ALALLAHI SHAHD.K.II, S.P.M.J., S.P.C.M.
Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah has born on 14th of August 1959 in Hospital Batu Gajah, Perak. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith is a third son to Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzwan and Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Mazuwin binti almarhum Raja Arif Shah.
Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah get early education in Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Datin Khadijah Kuala Kangsar in the state his birthplace namely in Perak. After end of the education in primary school, Yang Amat Mulia continue the education to form one at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Raja Perempuan Kalsom Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
In the month of September 1972, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah have set forth to England for further education in Chaltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire to form six. Then, Yang Amat Mulia continue learning it in Davies College London in September 1977 and his following year in receive enter to Somerville College, London after having passed Oxford Entrance Examination.
After graduated at Oxford University with Bachelor of Art in June 1983 and follow the traditional University of Oxford, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith will receive Master of Art after three years in 1986. Yang Amat Mulia also is a linguist follow several courses including language Mandarin at the tertiary level, French and Italy language.As his father, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah is a person that talented in picture arts. Refinement of soul, Yang Amat Mulia always watching natural beauty environment immortalize in the form photograph and painting to make look and reference. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith performance become guide to deliver the message education to general public. Yang Amat Mulia concern on women and natural world and it custody aspect in become deep theme in painting.
Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah comply have interest profoundest field documentation. Apart from producing book, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith doubled up guest writer in the The New Straits Times newspapers and in personal column it “Mind Matters” in The Star newspaper. Besides writing, Yang Amat Mulia comply active presenting a working paper at the conference national level and international.
Education from her father and mother over concern to the people, make Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah likes engaged in voluntary activities about as Deputy President of Majlis Wanita Johor (ROSE), Chief of Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia Johor branch, Chairman of Nationalistic Community Service Red Crescent Malaysia, Patron of Spastic Children School in Johor Bahru, Patron Rotary Club of Tebrau Foundation, Advisor of Traditional Arts School International in London and become Pro Chancellor University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and becomen Royal Felllow Faculty of Language and Linguistic University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
As the appreciation towards her contributions of ideas and efforts in the development of education in Malaysia, Chancellor of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku lbrahim lsmail lbni Sultan lskandar, Tunku Mahkota Johor, has approbation to presented the awards to Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at 7th Convocation Ceremony of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in this year. Congratulation from us, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia members.
While on the lighter side, this may very well be is a conversation in Malaysian style English between room service and a hotel guest, if no steps are taken to remedy the problem highlighted by HRH.
TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN A HOTEL GUEST AND ROOM SERVICE IN A MALAYSIAN HOTEL.
Room Services: Morny, ruin sorbes.
Guest : Sorry, I thought I dialled room services.
RS : Rye, ruin sorbes! Morny! Djewish to ordor sun teen ?
G : Ah yes. I’d like some sausages, toasts and eggs.
RS : How July dunn?
G : What!
RS : How July dunn? Pry, boy or pooch?
G : Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Scrambled please.
RS : Ow July dee soarass…crease?
G : Crisp will be fine.
RS : Hokay. An santos?
G : What?
RS : Santos. July santos?
G : I don’t think so.
RS : No? Judo one toes?
G : I feel really bad, but I don’t know what ‘judo one toes’ means.
RS : Toes! Toes! Why dju Don Juan toes? Ow bow Singlish mopping we bother?
G : English Muffins? I’ve got it. You were saying ‘toast’ and English Muffins would be fine.
RS : Copy?
G : Sorry?
Rs : Copy … tea … mill?
G : Coffee please, and that’s all.
RS : One Minnie, asruin torino fee, strangle ache, crease baychem, tossy Singlish mopping, we
bother honey sigh, and copy… rye?
G : We bother what? You mean with butter! Thanks!
RS : Tendjewberrymud!
G : You’re Welcome!
