Editor’s Note: This article was premised on a Harian Metro story which has since been revised. FMT has amended its article to reflect those changes.
In a Harian Metro report, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) associate professor Azizah Zain said allowing English to become children’s dominant language too early could prevent them from fully developing their thinking skills in Malay.
“This could undermine their understanding of concepts that can only be fully grasped through their mother tongue,” said the senior lecturer at the university’s early childhood education department.
“Mastering two languages is beneficial, but we must remember that the hierarchy of languages is important in early childhood development.”
Azizah said the growing trend of urban pupils using English as their main spoken language could undermine Malay’s position as the national language.
She saidchildren who grow up more comfortable in English may lose touch with the cultural nuances and values embedded in the Malay language.
Azizah acknowledged that English offers advantages such as global communication skills, access to knowledge, and better job prospects.
However, she maintained that children who develop a solid foundation in Malay before learning English are likely to be more effective than those who adopt English as their primary language from an early age.
She pointed out that the main danger is children losing their connection to the Malay language and culture.
To counter this, she urged parents to instil a love for Malay at home by encouraging their children to think in the language and exposing them to traditional literature like pantun, syair, and folktales.
Azizah also called on schools to reaffirm Malay as the main medium of instruction, with English taught as a supplementary subject.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has consistently underlined the importance of strengthening English skills nationwide.
Earlier this month, he urged the education ministry to intensify initiatives aimed at improving English proficiency, describing it as vital to Malaysia’s global competitiveness.