Give praise where it is due

RECENTLY, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi addressed the general debate of the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). Since then, a video of him making the speech has been circulating on the Internet, attracting a wide variety of feedback from the public, Malaysians and non-Malaysians alike. Some of the comments are constructive but the rest are based on misunderstandings.

Upon viewing the video, listening to his pronunciations and intonations repeatedly, one has to appreciate Dr Ahmad Zahid’s efforts in delivering his address in English when he could have easily done it in Malay. It showed his motivation and resolve to speak in a non-native language before an international audience.