Kota Kinabalu Warisan secretary Loi Kok Liang said the party would make the DLP a core education policy and implement it comprehensively if it is returned to power.

“In today’s globalised world, we cannot let the next generation of Sabahans to be left behind.

“English is not just about personal development. It is a cornerstone of national competitiveness,” Loi said in a statement.

He noted that Perak had made visible progress in English proficiency, emerging as the most English-proficient state in the country, according to the 2024 EF English Proficiency Index.

The EF English Proficiency Index evaluates the skills of adults in the language in over 100 countries. Perak had the highest score of 585 among Malaysian states, followed by Kedah and Penang, with 583 points each.

Sabah recorded the second-lowest score among Malaysian states with 553, while Melaka ranked last with 550.

Loi said Sabah must not be content with merely observing others but must act decisively to move forward.

The party also intends to regularly monitor the implementation of the DLP programme. It also wants to integrate English use into the workplace in the tourism and services sectors.

Loi said for real educational reforms to take place, Sabah must reclaim authority over its education policies.

“Warisan therefore pledges to re-establish the Sabah education ministry, empowering local experts to craft policies that reflect Sabah’s unique context and multicultural needs.”

The state education ministry was abolished in 2020, when the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government took over the administration of the state.

Since then, education matters in Sabah have been subject to federal jurisdiction.

In May 2023, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said granting Sabah and Sarawak administrative authority in education and health was one of the important matters discussed by Putrajaya’s Malaysia Agreement 1963 secretariat.