Studying Engish, Malay Makes A Bilingual Nation – Taib

Kuching, Malaysia - Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has no problem with a proposal to make English a compulsory subject to pass the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level as it would prepare the people to be bilingual.

In agreeing to a proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, that the public discuss the matter to enable the government to obtain feedback, he said studying English and Malay was good, if the Federal Government chose to make it compulsory.

"I have no problem with it. In fact, I have seen a lot of young children who are bilingual. Why do we have to limit it to one language?" he asked reporters after officiating the Fourth Pre-school Convention here Wednesday.

In a related issue, he said, Sarawak would not appoint a minister with a portfolio on education as it would overlap with the role of an education minister at the federal level.

Meanwhile, Taib, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, said that assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the party -- the backbone of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition -- had been the norm.

"It is part of growing up, this is more so, for PBB, and I am sure other BN component parties of Sarawak are doing the same thing," he said when commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak`s recent call for all BN component parties to undergo a self-evaluation exercise and be bold to make changes to overcome whatever weaknesses to remain as a political party in future.

Source: http://www.bernama.com (10 June 2009)
Photo: https://www.popular.com.sg

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