I WAS surprised to read about an academician suggesting that we don’t teach our children English too early – to wait until they are seven or eight before introducing a second language. The rationale was that children must first master Malay to preserve cultural identity.
With respect, this argument feels outdated. In today’s interconnected world, we do our children no favours by delaying their exposure to English.
The question is not whether they should learn Malay or English. It is about ensuring they grow up fluent in both.
Malay is our national language. It carries values, culture and identity. But English is not a threat. A child’s ability to speak Malay does not diminish simply because they also learn English. Languages are not competitors. They are tools – and the more tools our children have, the better equipped they will be for the future.
Around the world, bilingual and even trilingual education is common. Studies show that children exposed to more than one language from a young age have stronger cognitive skills, better problem-solving abilities, and greater adaptability.
Why then create an artificial barrier between Malay and English? Why should we be the ones holding our children back when other nations are moving forward?
Sarawak offers a living example. Many children grow up speaking several languages at once. This has never stopped them from identifying as Malaysians or valuing Malay as the national language.
If anything, it enriches our culture. The ability to switch seamlessly between languages is not a weakness, but a strength.
This point was echoed by Sarawak’s Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He rebutted the suggestion to delay English teaching, arguing that Singapore has managed to preserve mother tongues while ensuring mastery of English. That is the crucial balance we should aim for – pride in one’s language and identity, without shutting the door to the wider world.
English is the working language there, yet Malay, Mandarin and Tamil continue to thrive. The result? A globally competitive nation that has not lost its cultural roots.
Singapore’s success story is not because they abandoned their mother tongues, but because they understood that English could be a common platform for opportunity.
The truth is we are already lagging behind. Employers constantly highlight poor English skills among graduates. This directly affects employability. In sectors like engineering, IT and healthcare, English is the global medium.
Without it, our young people risk being left out. How do we expect to compete if we handicap them from the start?
This is why it makes little sense to suggest slowing down English education. We should be doing the opposite – introducing it earlier, normalising its use, and making sure every child is confident in both Malay and English.
If we fail to act, the gap between Malaysia and our neighbours will only widen.
The fear that children will lose touch with Malay if they learn English too early is misplaced. Culture is not so fragile that it disappears at the sound of another language. Identity is shaped by upbringing, values and lived experience – not just by the words we speak.
Look at Scandinavia, South Korea and Germany. Children there are exposed to English from a young age, yet their national languages remain strong. Their cultures are alive and thriving.
If anything, fluency in English allows them to share their culture more widely with the rest of the world. Why should Malaysia be any different?
Malay will remain our national language. It will continue to be the medium that unites us. But English should be embraced as the bridge that connects us to the world. The two can exist side by side – one as the soul of our nation, the other as the passport to global opportunity.
The way forward is not to pit one language against another. Strengthen Malay through literature, pantun, syair and civic education.
At the same time, build English fluency so that our young people can compete globally. That is how you raise a generation that is both proud of its roots and prepared for the future.
Parents have a role too. Read bedtime stories in both languages. Encourage content in Malay and English. Create a balance at home. Children can handle it. They are far more adaptable than we give them credit for.
Malaysia has a choice to make. A narrow approach that shields Malay from English will only hold us back. A bold embrace of bilingualism will produce a generation that is rooted in culture yet ready for the world.
So why choose? Teach both. Let Malay unite us. Let English open doors. Our children deserve nothing less – and their future depends on it.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at nazmixsuhaimi@gmail.com.
