Which foreign languages can improve our competitiveness?
Selangor’s decision to offer free online foreign language classes from next year is a timely and strategic move. When Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said that language should be seen as a strength rather than a source of division, he mentioned that in today’s world, language is no longer just cultural, it is economic.
We learn foreign languages to open ourselves with better opportunities.
There are too many public debates around languages in Malaysia focusing on identity and politics. While identity matters, spending excessive time on these debates distracts us from a more urgent question, which languages help Malaysians compete in the future economy?
This is where we should widen our lens beyond traditional “global” languages and pay more attention to languages from emerging markets and the Global South.
Languages from the Global South and emerging markets?
Take Spanish, for example. It is spoken by more than 500 million people across Latin America and parts of the United States. Latin America is a growing market in fintech, renewable energy, agriculture, and digital services, yet it remains under-explored by many Asian businesses.
Portuguese opens access to Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America. Arabic connects Malaysia to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), key regions for energy, Islamic finance, logistics, and AI investment. Russian remains relevant across Central Asia and Eastern Europe, regions rich in resources and engineering talent.
Even within Southeast Asia, Vietnamese deserves more attention. With around 100 million speakers, Vietnam is one of the region’s fastest-growing economies and a critical link in global supply chains. Language fluency enables deeper partnerships, faster execution, and better localisation.
Language skills alone are not enough. As Amirudin highlighted, youths must also master technology, including AI and emerging innovations. The real advantage comes when language ability is combined with technical skills.
By expanding language education and shifting focus toward emerging markets, Malaysia can position itself as a truly global, outward-looking nation.
Language is not about choosing sides. It is about opening doors.
Stop debating on languages and start learning to gain competitive edges before it is too late.
What do you think?
Jason Kang (weeshuien92@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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