“This is the reality that we have to face if we want to understand Science and Mathematics for the betterment of our lives, and to build the nation towards becoming a developed nation, we have to understand foreign languages.
“If today, we decide to learn Science and Mathematics in English, it does not mean we are less patriotic,” he said .
“Both Science and Mathematics are not static subjects but expanded through time with numerous research and inventions, producing hundreds of research papers which are all in English.
“Without the ability to translate all this new knowledge, the Malays will be left behind in some of the most important fields,” Mahathir said.
He said those who understood the subjects and could translate them would not be interested to be translators their entire life, adding science would still progress after their deaths and newer works would need translation.
“Mastering English is very important, and those who don’t understand English would lose out in terms of new scientific findings.”
Mahathir felt that a language of a people was only learned by foreigners if the former had progressed and were known for their knowledge and research, citing the Europeans in the 15th century having to learn Arabic as the Muslim civilisation then was vast and well respected.
Sadly, in 2010, the government announced that it would revert to the teaching of the two subjects in the Malay language in national schools and the students’ mother tongue (Mandarin or Tamil) in national-type Chinese and Tamil schools from 2011 following the abolishment of the policy of teaching and learning Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI).
The government also then announced the strategy of upholding the Malay language and strengthening the command of English in schools.
I wonder whether we are going back to the same mistakes when the standard of English went down the chute after nationalism took the driver's seat; way, way before Mahathir reverted the teaching of Science and Maths to English.
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