Dr M: Get over your nationalistic ego and learn English

KUALA LUMPUR: Get over your nationalistic pride in defending Bahasa Melayu and accept the use of English as a language of knowledge.
Speaking at the Dewan Rakyat during the Minister’s Question Time today, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the scientific and mathematical fields are advancing rapidly on a consistent basis and insisting that the subjects to be only taught in the national language would impede the progress of Malaysian students.
“New discoveries in Science and Mathematics is not something being pioneered in Bahasa Melayu as it is being discovered by those using different language.
‘If we don’t understand the language, it will be difficult for us to translate the knowledge into Bahasa Melayu.
“But If we understand their language (English), we will have direct access to any new knowledge that they find. To gain their knowledge, we must learn their language.
“If we wait for someone to translate it for us, it will never happen because no one here understands the language.
“That’s why I think the nationalistic pride to preserve Bahasa Melayu, at the expense of English, will get in the way of obtaining knowledge and we will not progress,” said Mahathir, when answering a supplementary question posed by Fahmi Fadzil (Pakatan Harapan-Lembah Pantai).
The Langkawi MP cited history to substantiate his argument on how Greek was the lingua franca of the ancient times and the Arabs had to learn the language to gain access to Greek knowledge.
“When Arabic became the language of knowledge, European scholars picked up Arabic to learn from the Arabs.
“And when Arabs stopped pursuing Science and Mathematics, the language of knowledge was transferred to the Europeans,” said Mahathir.
Earlier, Fahmi asked if Putrajaya would reintroduce the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) and whether the National Education Advisory Council has made any recommendations on the matter.
Mahathir replied that the government is still studying the matter, adding that the council was split between those that wanted PPSMI and those insistent on continuing with Bahasa Melayu.
PPSMI had been among Mahathir’s final policies as the fourth prime minister but it was overturned by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was serving as Education Minister under the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.