MANY of us are still unaware of the dual functions of education in this country. Going to school or university not only enables young Malaysians to acquire knowledge but also allows them to develop racial goodwill, a qualification for nation-building. This is especially so if they go to the same school or university with the national language as the medium of instruction.

Almost certainly we do not appreciate this because we continue to live in a conducive environment and thus take peace for granted. We think it is God-given and never think about how it came into being in the first place.

But to the well-informed, they will acknowledge the wisdom of past leaders who decided on Bahasa Malaysia as the national language to ensure that future generations are able to progress and live in harmony, even though most writers mention the special position of the national
language as inferior to English in this globalised world.

One major complaint of the language is its perceived deficiency when used in science and technology. This is misguided and must be corrected. If we continue to translate all English terms accurately and systematically and use them constantly, they will subconsciously  become acceptable to everyone, just as English.

I have always believed that the national language is capable of becoming a language of knowledge if properly executed. Like the evolution of English, Malay will be able to enrich itself and become useful if the right approach is employed.

Malaysians will be united and have a language to call their own and continue to move forward in this globalised world with English as their second language.

We should therefore work diligently towards making the  populace capable of speaking and writing both in good Bahasa Malaysia and English. Being proficient in both will be an asset to the country.
      
                                         
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                       Sharina Azirah Ismail
                                                                                                                                                        Shah Alam

Source: The Sun – August 26, 2009