PETALING JAYA: A remark by Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang criticising those preferring to speak English over the national language has riled up several senior figures, with some questioning whether the PAS president comprehends the importance of English.
Abdul Hadi had labelled Malaysians who favour English as those who are still “trapped in a colonial mindset”, and are bent on wanting Bahasa Malaysia to be abandoned – a statement that drew an immediate response from former ambassador Datuk Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin.
“Does Abdul Hadi realise that English is used all over the world?” said Noor Farida, who was also concerned that the government is presently discouraging civil servants from using English and threatening them with punishment.
“Do these politicians expect our officials who attend international meetings to speak in BM?
“Even in Asean, the official language is English,” added Noor Farida, who previously served five years at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
On May 24, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said that he hoped the Public Service Department would consider action against those who did not take instructions to use Bahasa Malaysia in the civil service seriously.
“They (Indonesia) are being pragmatic. You can hardly accuse President Joko Widodo of having a colonial mentality,” said Noor Farida, who added that the Indonesian government’s present policy is to encourage students and civil servants to learn English.
Moderation advocate Mohamed Tawfik Ismail regarded Abdul Hadi as taking a narrow-minded view of language and culture.
“It goes contrary to any progressive thinking or any advancement in expanding people’s minds in the present and the future.”
Tawfik, the eldest son of the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman (former deputy prime minister), said history has shown that the country’s founding fathers always prioritised English without sidelining Bahasa Malaysia.
“The founding fathers felt the national language is important. But they did not diminish the fact that learning other languages is helpful for national progress,” he added.
The public are also unimpressed with Abdul Hadi’s remarks, with Bunyamin Harun saying that a person who’s proficient in English shouldn’t be labelled as belittling Bahasa Malaysia.
Balasingam Velu said the colonial era is Malaysia’s past and it has nothing to do with English proficiency.
