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Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad's reassurance that the Government has its ways of settling the controversy to teach Mathematics and Science in English. 14.8.2

As a multiracial country, Malaysia needs a polyglot society. People know more than one languages. Besides our mother-tongue, we learn other languages such as English. After the Government has eradicated English schools since 1970, is it sensibe to reintroduce English by teaching Mathematics and Science in English?

Yesterday, the Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the Government was committed to teaching Maths and Science in English. The decision was neither political nor intended to undermine the culture and identity of the other races.

"We have our ways (to deal with those who oppose the move),"he added.

"I think the French don't like this fact, but they learn English nevertheless, the Chinese (in China) also learn English, thousands upon thousands of people are learning English."

The Prime Minister's statement that many people are learning English is correct. Although more foreigners are learning Mandarin, the Chinese (in China) are taking on English in masses. But, they don't start by knowing English through Maths and Science. After all, mastering the world's most popular language opens up more opportunities.

We believe that learning English and other foreign languages is essential. However, languages especially mother-tongues make people emotional. The Government's decision to teach Maths and Science in English invokes responses from various races. This is expected. Nevertheless, the Government threat to use the Internal Security Act, ISA, and the Prime Minister using harsh words against those who oppose the decision complicate the issue.

UGLY WOMEN (AND MEN)

Dr Mahathir defends the decision as a way to correct the mistake of eradicating English since 1970. In 1974, he was the Education Minister succeeding the late Tun Rahman Yaacob who started the ball rolling. At that time, Dr Mahathir did not realize the mistake. By the eighties last century, he talked about the importance of English.

The Education Ministry intends to train 40,500 teachers in the use of English to teach Maths and Science in the next six months. Will they succeed? As the Prime Minister insists on the decision, other component parties of the Barisan Nasional are likely to follow suit. But then, ugly women and men, finely dressed, are uglier. Will they consider the pros and cons of learning English through Maths and Science? Will this type of learning improve the knowledge? All BN ministers have supported the Cabinet decision to do so.

Chinese and Tamil primary schools differ from national schools. Even then, is English Maths and Science the best way to learn the language? If the Government does away with Mandarin as a medium of instruction for the two subjects, Chinese educationists are afraid that the schools finally will be left with Mandarin as a subject only.

From the educational viewpoint, the Government must keep its nose to the grindstone. It has to find out the best way to improve proficiency in English. Otherwise, the total introduction of English Maths and Science will make the people worry.

I have met people in Holland, Belgium and Denmark. Many are multilingual, especially fluent in English. When I was a student in England, I attended a Summer medical course in Denmark. Although the professors and lecturers were brought up in Danish, they could lecture in English.

We urge the Government to study the methods used in the above-stated countries, finding out how they make their citizens proficient in English and other foreign languages without neglecting their mother-tongues. They start by teaching English as a subject and creating a conducive atmosphere, but not from teaching Maths and Science in English.

Tan Seng Giaw