Mr. DPM, I'm Impressed

Mr. DPM, I'm impressed with what you said about the importance of English.

That is the gospel truth.

He sees the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

It was a tunnel of hopelessness when the day some political smart alec got Malaysians into a hellhole. English was removed as an important subject. Books were used which were hastily written for students and the propaganda machinery went into overdrive with the emphasis on just one language, Malay.

There were lost Malaysian souls . Graduates who lived and could survive in a coconut shell. They were the future workers who could hardly read, write or speak basic English leaving educational institutions to seek work. These were engineers, IT specialists and others who would not be employable till they had undergone more studies-at tuition schools!

They were marching into hell as it was and still is a rapidly growing globalized world. The demand for those who could communicate in English, the international language was and still is high. Most materials and bosses were and are speaking English. Unlike their smart all-rounded language experts, these condemned lot could not seek greener pastures elseway.

Having said all that, it is now hoped that a new policy be implemented making a pass in English be compulsory in SPM. Obviously a compulsory subject will definitely mean a keener study of the subject. Perhaps proper professional and objective research also needs to be carried out as quickly as possible to ensure its smooth implementation throughout the nation and a solution to ensure the policy considers the plight of rural regions in Malaysia which are less developed in infrastructure and lack qualified English specialist educators.

Yessir! I will raise my hat to you if you do the right thing!

In fact as an English specialist myself, if there is a call for paid voluntary educators, I will sign up, not for a chestful of patriotic awards but to seek the betterment of my fellow persons, even in the wild rural countryside for such a sensible worthwhile cause.

On a lighter note here are samples of bad English in public. One can only guess what iron straighten is and although clean ears may be clear in the hair dressing saloon advert, ear cleaning would sound better and in the other one, the legal money lending company is advertising on the smaller white piece of paper for a female employee with the words Vacancy on Female instead of for female !!!