Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been vocal about the importance of Malaysians being fluent in both the national language and English.
However, he has recently criticised certain elite groups for their obsession with the English language, leading them to underestimate Bahasa Melayu’s importance.
According to BERNAMA, he said the belief that success and intelligence can only be achieved through mastery of English is misguided.
“I do not advocate reducing the importance of English, but I also reject any phobia towards our own language.”
“I want to remind those overly fixated on the English language that while they may have grown up in London, they live in Malaysia and must represent the hopes and aspirations of the Malaysian people as a whole,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar added that the various ethnic groups in the country should set aside their disputes over language and strengthen their commitment to empowering Bahasa Melayu.
“When this is achieved, it will be easier for us to focus on enhancing English, Chinese, Tamil and other languages,” he said.
Under his leadership, he also said the MADANI government will remain dedicated to elevating Bahasa Melayu while ensuring other languages are not marginalised.
“It has been claimed that the MADANI government marginalises the Malay language. Where exactly is this marginalisation? We are prioritising the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and education. Compared to previous years, it is evident that more funding and support are now being allocated.”
What do you think of his statement? Let us know in the comments section.
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