Education Ministry Must Enhance English Proficiency - PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The Education Ministry must step up efforts to enhance the level of English proficiency, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister emphasised that English proficiency is critical to Malaysia’s future competitiveness and cannot be overlooked.

“We need to accept the fact that the level of proficiency in English is too critical, important for this issue. Which means the education ministry must promote to enhance the level of proficiency of the English language,” he said in his speech at AmBank Group’s 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary Dinner here today.

At the same time, Anwar reaffirmed that Bahasa Malaysia remains the national language and must be upheld as an unifying force.

“I don’t accept Malaysians not being proficient in the Malay language. It is our national language, and we must be proficient in it,” he said.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also stressed that the success of Malaysia as a nation depends on inclusive policies that embrace all communities regardless of race or background.

“This country can only succeed if you have a clear policy and direction to embrace every single Malaysian to feel that they are protected and they are wanted. Then we will be able to survive as a country where we do show affection for all Malaysians,” he said.

Anwar added that there is no reason to marginalise efforts to excel in English or in other languages.

“There’s no reason why we should marginalise or make it difficult for others to try and excel their level of proficiency in the English language as Chinese, Tamil, Arabic or French,” he said.

-- BERNAMA