BANGI: Teaching mathematics and science in English will ensure mastery of the language and the subjects, as well as help gain wider knowledge in the related fields of studies.
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said this was because English is an internationally-recognised language and widely used in the fields of mathematics and science.
He was speaking at the launch of the ‘UKM in Outer Space’ event in conjunction with the 7th National Astronaut Day event at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, here today.
“During my tenure as Prime Minister, we decided that mathematics and science should be taught in English. It’s not about learning the language, it is about learning the knowledge that we have not fully mastered especially in these two fields, which are naturally taught in English.
“If we don’t master the language in the fields that are being taught, we will be left behind because to launch a rocket, calculate or build space vehicles you need to master the knowledge. I have asked the government to reconsider many times to use English; it’s not about sidelining the Malay language.
“By having US$16,000 per capita income for six years alone will not guarantee a developed nation status, if that were so, Saudi Arabia and Brunei would be developed nations.
“Or if were to only look at how the high the salary scale, then Kuwait would top the list,” Dr Mahathir said, adding that several factors like improving knowledge were needed to determine a country’s developed status.
Dr Mahathir said, even translating aeronautical, astronomy or aerospace books into Bahasa Malaysia would require three things, namely the understanding of English, Bahasa Malaysia and the subjects.
He said it was important to learn mathematics and science in English to allow people to accumulate knowledge while remaining on course towards becoming a capable country that could produce its own rockets, space vehicles and have its own space station.
“We can’t keep being a passive partner, we have be those who innovate and create state-of-the-art vehicles, so that we can be parallel to those in the developed nations.
“Knowledge about science and mathematics foundations is an important pillar as we achieve to become a fully-developed nation. We have to be practical in having the ability to use English to acquire the knowledge,” he said.
Meanwhile, UKM vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali said the ‘UKM in Space’ event was held to inspire young people to venture into space science and produce more eminent scholars in the related field.
Present at the event were Malaysia’s first astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Japanese astronaut Dr Chiaki Mukai, German astronaut Klaus Dietrich and Russian astronaut Salizhan Sharipov.
The event also featured a rocket workshop, flight simulation, exhibition, dialogue session with the astronauts and competitions.