I APPRECIATE having had the chance to study using both English and Bahasa Malaysia (BM) as the medium of instruction during my school days. And I am still trying to improve both my written and spoken skills in both languages.
My mother tongue is not BM but I’m comfortable corresponding in BM, especially writing official letters to federal ministries/departments/agencies. But, I switch to English when communicating with state ministries/departments/agencies.
As a government servant in Sarawak, I feel bad about not being able to communicate in Foochow, Hokkien, Kayan, Kenyah, Bidayuh and other languages.
When we Sarawakians upgrade English as our second official language, it does not mean we are less patriotic.
As government servants, most of us have no problems communicating in BM during meetings, discussions, etc. Perhaps, when the social and cultural affairs adviser to the government commented on English being made the second official language in Sarawak, he thought we would not be able to understand BM.
My own child received good results in his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia BM paper, even though we do not use the language at home. I’m sure many of our ministers’ children or grandchildren speak English at home. Some of them send their children to international schools, where English is most likely the medium of instruction. So, what is the fuss here?
n C.K., Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak