AFTER decades of breast beating and hands wringing over the deteriorating standard of English in the nation by our nation’s leaders, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem finally showed them the way by taking the bull by its horn in declaring that official communication and correspondence in the state can be in English besides Bahasa Malaysia.
Adenan’s bold step as expected received resounding support that transcended the political divided from people in the state but inevitably drew the ire of nationalists in Peninsular Malaysia.
However, before delving further into the issue we must not overlook two key factors in the chief minister’s decision.
Firstly, Adenan did not abolish Bahasa Malaysia from official correspondence and communication in the state.
He specifically mentioned that English could be used apart from Bahasa Malaysia in his announcement.
This put paid to arguments that he was trying to replace Bahasa Malaysia as the official language with English.
Secondly what he advocated is nothing new as it was just a reaffirmation of Sarawak’s right as stated in the Malaysia Agreement that English would continue to be an official language in the state and Sabah.
Although Sabah gave up that right in 1971 when it made Bahasa Malaysia as the only official language in the state, Sarawak never gave up that right.
However, over the years, English was abolished in official communications although it has never been officially removed it as the alternative official language in the state.
This naturally diminished the importance of English in the state especially in the syllabuses of schools resulting in the students being handicapped by poor command of the language when they went on to colleges and universities or entered the job market.
The rot has set in for too long now resulting in some universities churning out graduates who could not even write a proper sentence in English.
The consequence of the poor command of English among graduates was highlighted recently when it was reported that about 1000 doctors who graduated locally gave up their careers because they could not cope with the level of English proficiency demanded in the medical profession.
Adenan was also appalled by the large number of other graduates who are jobless because of their poor English.
He saw the urgent need to rectify the situation and instead of dithering over the issue decided to reinstate English as one of the official languages of the state.
It was as he said being practical.
Why are other state leaders afraid to take similar steps to rectify the situation?
Were they cowed by nationalist elements that see the promotion of English as unpatriotic and a threat to the Malay language?
That fear was proven to be well founded when critics of Adenan’s stand accused him of going betraying national interest and going against the constitution.
The chief minister was not unaware of the brickbats he would receive for his stand on the English language in the state but he was willing to face his critics for the sake of state and nation.