Cabinet to discuss use of English proposal tomorrow, says Abdullah

BANGI Aug 6 - The cabinet will discuss the proposal to use English in the teaching of Science and Mathematics in all schools, including the vernacular schools, tomorrow, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

However, he was not sure whether the meeting could reach a decision by then.

"We'll discuss whatever's necessary regarding the case. Some decision may be made. I don't know what it will be," the deputy prime minister told a media conference after opening a seminar on industrial players and institutions of higher learning, here.

The government's proposal to use English to teach the two subjects had drawn objections from three Chinese associations, namely the Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zhong), the Malaysian Chinese School Boards Federation (Dhong Zhong) and the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, which feared that it would erode the Chinese culture and affect the performance of the Chinese school students in both subjects.

Abdullah said the government would decide on how to go about implementing the proposal in such schools.

He said education was a subject that touched everyone and all views would be considered before deciding on the matter.

In TAIPING, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik said today that the Chinese community is not opposing efforts to promote use of English in schools but feels that careful studies are needed to ensure proper implementation.

He said any decision on the use of English in Chinese schools should neither be made hastily nor clouded by emotions and politicking.

"We need to consider and study carefully how to implement this policy before making a final decision," he told reporters after opening the annual meeting of the Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Associations here.

He said this when asked to comment on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim's statement yesterday that the government had sufficient powers under the Education Act 1966 to implement the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English in all schools.

The government has decided to use English for teaching the two subjects at Standard One, Form One and Lower Six from next year in a bid to improve students' command of the language.

Dr Ling said MCA had not made a stand on the move to implement this in Chinese schools because its leaders were still gathering feedback from education groups.

Party leaders at all levels had started seeking views as soon as the government announced its decision a few weeks ago, he said.

"We do not want to rush the matter...the important thing is to do it properly for the benefit of our children," he said.

Dr Ling, however, declined to reveal the initial feedback received by MCA, saying newspapers were not the best forum to discuss such things.

MCA would also discuss with fellow Chinese-based Barisan Nasional component parties like Gerakan and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) before making a decision, he said.

MEANWHILE, a nuclear expert said today knowledge can be acquired using any language as long as the seekers understand what they read.

Dr Nahrul Khair Alang Md Rashid, the president of the Malaysian Nuclear Society, said what is important is the content.

He said the Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) for example used both Bahasa Malaysia and English, including in its publication, the Malaysian Nuclear Bulletin.

English is used to communicate with outsiders as well as for the convenience of trainees from various countries such as Myanmar, Jordan, Bangladesh and Vietnam, he said at a news conference in conjunction with an event to remember the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the National Library here.

On the importance of English to understand nuclear technology, he said many reference materials and books were written in English.