YOURSAY | Sarawak shows the way: Build bridges, not walls

YOURSAY | 'We should be confident in our national language while also embracing other languages.'

State deputy minister: S'wak UEC students can get free tertiary education even without BM pass

ABC123: Sarawak’s move is the right way forward. We must build bridges, not walls. The national education system needs a total revamp. Bahasa Malaysia, yes, but English, too, with more time devoted to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. A balanced education system will better prepare our young people for the future.

GanMu: Sarawak is truly a role model for all other states to emulate for their youth. The focus on English is classic and with such a stance by Sarawak, every Sarawakian graduate is far better equipped than his contemporaries in Peninsular Malaysia.

They have a chance to seek better opportunities in the world. This is the way to go. Give our youth all the right tools needed for their future.

Certainly, Sarawak is a responsible state. I salute you Sarawak. I hope our Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek is reading this and realises how far backwards she is taking our youth today.

BrownGiraffe1459: Sarawak is showing the way to truly progress as a nation, without being shackled by the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) issue. Syabas (Well done!)!

ScarletPanda9731: Sarawak leads the way. Its approach shows that there can be room for practical solutions while respecting the importance of the national language.

GrayParrot9290: What a big difference in response. When DAP raised the issue, there was strong pushback from Umno. When Sarawak implemented its approach, there was much less opposition.

Perhaps this shows that practical policies can sometimes gain wider acceptance when they are presented as solutions rather than political battles.

Bornean: Well done, Sarawak. That's the way forward. Sarawak is giving rebates on electricity and water usage, while Sabah faces increases as well as continuing disruptions to electricity and water supplies. Sarawak appears to be showing that state governments can take practical steps to improve people's lives.

Fairoppinion1: Sarawak also provides senior citizens with health benefits at private clinics and offers Sarawak Basic Needs Assistance. Sarawak boleh! It is truly a multiracial region, where everyday life reflects that diversity.

Its experience shows that different communities can live and work together without constantly turning differences into divisions.

Very concerned citizen: Bahasa Malaysia is important because it unites Malaysians and is our national language. However, when doing business overseas or when students pursue further studies abroad, English is the lingua franca of the world. We should therefore recognise the importance of both languages.

YellowCat7063: BM is the national language, and every citizen should master it. Language is part of a nation's identity. However, Malaysia is multilingual by nature, and we should not allow pride in our own language to hinder our ability to engage internationally.

English is widely used for global communication, education, science and business. We should be confident in our national language while also embracing other languages.

Joeganes: Lead by example. Look at Singapore, one of the most advanced and prosperous countries in Asean. BM is its national language while English is an official language. So, why can't Malaysia take a similarly pragmatic approach? There is no reason national identity and international competitiveness cannot coexist.

Rationale: BM is important and every Malaysian should have a reasonable command of the national language. At the same time, education policies should recognise the purpose of different qualifications and the medium in which students study.

A balanced approach can promote national integration while ensuring that Malaysian students remain competitive internationally.

DM: Malaysia is a secular country and Islam is the country's religion. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language written in the Federal Constitution. It is initially known as Bahasa Melayu (in old textbooks).

To use language for unity is ideal for past leaders but if that language brings the nation no further than its shores. It makes us like "katak di bawah tempurung" (ignorant).

Malaysia, secular by Constitution and multiracial, has made us multilingual in nature.

The economic power of a country will determine if other countries would be interested in learning your country's language. However, pride in our own language can also backfire and hinder us from going international.

People are willing to learn Japanese because of their prowess in technology; others go and live in China to learn Mandarin, and the same for Korea, France, Spain, Germany, and other European countries. Do you realise that not many of these people can speak English fluently?

This is why the United Nations provide translators/ translation for Bahasa Indonesia but not BM. Do we ever ask why?

Most Malaysians can speak English fluently, but I think we all know the main reason behind this policy of making BM compulsory.

Léon Moch: Malaysians should at least pass BM. But purely from an education perspective, if courses are not taught in BM and are not BM or Malay literature courses, objectively, the crucial grades should be those directly relevant to the course and its medium of instruction. This is true not only in Malaysia but elsewhere as well.

GreenKiwi2026: A pass in BM for Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) students need not necessarily mean taking the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia BM paper. At least an O-Level BM paper should be sufficient for national integration. This would ensure that students have a working knowledge of the national language while recognising the different education systems available.

Quigonbond: Maybe the solution to UEC is state-based. They could amend the higher education law to allow for state co-financing, expanding more faculties and student enrolment.

Hence, those conservative Perikatan Nasional and Umno states can continue to refuse to co-finance and don't recognise UEC and be left behind in the diversity/innovation curve.

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