Kota Kinabalu: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) urged the government to focus on strengthening students’ proficiency in English and Chinese (Mandarin) before planning to include additional Asean languages such as Thai and Khmer.
LDP Sec-Gen Datuk Chin Shu Ying although it may reflect Asean solidarity, the foundation of any language policy must be practicality and relevance to global and national development.
He said English remains the most important language in science, technology, business, and diplomacy. At the same time, more countries, including in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East are beginning to adopt Chinese as a second language due to China’s global influence.
“Our students are still struggling with English, and many lack adequate proficiency in Chinese. These two languages are not only academically critical, but they also serve as gateways to global opportunity.
“If Malaysia wants to remain competitive, our students must be equipped in both,” he said.
Chin noted that major foreign investors such as Microsoft and Amazon, along with leading Chinese companies like Huawei, Alibaba Group, and ByteDance, have all made significant investments in Malaysia and continue to expand their operations here.
“These companies consistently identify language proficiency, particularly English and Mandarin, as key employment criteria.
“Without strong communication skills in English and Chinese, our graduates will face limitations not only abroad, but also in high-value sectors within our own country,” he said.
Chin said weak English and Mandarin skills remain among main factors contributing to graduate unemployment.
LDP warned against overloading an already stretched curriculum.
“Support for Asean unity, but not at the cost of undermining our students’ ability to compete in the real world. Strengthening in English and Chinese is not optional, it is essential.
Let us first ensure our students master English and Chinese before introducing additional language electives.
“Only then can we build an education system that is practical, competitive, and globally aligned,” he said.
