“English is the language of the Knowledge Age. Countries which do not master English will not only be left behind but risk being colonised either directly or indirectly.”
Without knowledge, countries will be oppressed and even invaded, he said.
The former premier, who has not hidden his disapproval over the shift of policy which he introduced, added that it was a folly to equate patriotism to speaking the national language.
“English is not only for English people but a universal language. I am not an Englishman but I speak English.”
“Are you an Englishman?” he asked a reporter during a press conference after he delivered the keynote address at the 17th Islamic World Academy of Science conference which is being held here.
He pointed out in the past, Western scholars were unafraid to learn Arabic in order to acquire knowledge, which was only available in that language and likewise the Arabs had to learn Greek for the same purpose.
But today, Dr Mahathir said the government was “ignoring success.”
“New discoveries are coming out in torrents in English,” he said adding that it would take an army, fully fluent in both English and Malay, to translate all the latest development.
The 2003 policy of teaching mathematics and science in English or PPSMI was reversed by the Cabinet on July 8 due to objections from various pressure groups who argued that rural students could not cope and were being left behind.
The policy was introduced to increase English proficiency and to expose students to technical science and mathematics terms from a younger age so they could excel in these fields at tertiary levels.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who also holds the education portfolio, has maintained the government will not return to the policy of teaching and learning science and mathematics in English despite appeals from mainly urban parents.
The government is moving ahead on the new policy of dignifying Bahasa Malaysia usage while raising English proficiency.
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