Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the Education Ministry to step up efforts to improve English proficiency, but at the same time, stresses the importance of Bahasa Melayu as the national language.
Speaking at AmBank Group’s 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary Dinner, he stressed that strong English skills are key to Malaysia’s future competitiveness and shouldn’t be overlooked.
“I don’t accept Malaysians who aren’t proficient in Bahasa Melayu”
At the same time, Anwar acknowledged the importance of being good in English but said Bahasa Melayu must remain the national language and continue to serve as a unifying force, BERNAMA reported.
“We have to admit that English proficiency is crucial. But I also can’t accept Malaysians not being proficient in Bahasa Melayu. It’s our national language, and we must be fluent in it,” he said.
He added that the country’s success as a nation depends on inclusive policies that bring together all communities, regardless of race or background.
“There’s no reason to hold anyone back from improving their English”
Anwar said the country can only move forward if it has a clear policy and direction that makes every Malaysian feel protected and valued.
“Only then will we survive as a nation that truly shows care and affection for all Malaysians,” he added.
He also stressed that there’s no reason to sideline efforts to improve in English or any other language.
“There’s no reason why we should make it difficult for anyone to improve their proficiency in English, just like we encourage learning Chinese, Tamil, Arabic, or even French,” he said.
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