UPSI associate professor Azizah Zain says children should first master the Malay language before focusing on other languages.

UPSI associate professor Azizah Zain called on schools to reaffirm Malay as the main medium of instruction, with English taught as a supplementary subject.
PETALING JAYA: Children should master the Malay language up to the ages of seven or eight before focusing on other languages such as English, says an academic.

In a Harian Metro report, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) associate professor Azizah Zain said the growing trend of urban pupils using English as their main spoken language could undermine the nation’s cultural identity.

Azizah, a senior lecturer at the university’s early childhood education department, said Malay should be firmly established as both the mother tongue and national language before children move on to a second language.

“English is undeniably important, but when it becomes the dominant language in daily communication, we must ask ourselves whether this threatens the role of Malay as the national language,” she said.

“Mastering two languages is beneficial, but we must remember that the hierarchy of languages is important in early childhood development. Malay should first be firmly established before children move on to a second language.

“Malay is not merely a means of communication; it embodies our cultural identity. Children who grow up more comfortable in English may lose touch with the values and nuances embedded in the Malay language.”

Azizah acknowledged that English offers advantages such as global communication skills, access to knowledge and better job prospects.

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.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...HhG6W8kVGN8tF_Q

ok bro *walk away*

race first, knowledge later lol

The best age to learn a language: What the research says The critical period hypothesis (CPH) is one of the most well-known. CPH says that to learn a language to a native level, you must start learning it before you're nine years old. These first nine years are the critical age for learning a language.
https://www.busuu.com/en/languages/best-age-learn

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, or linguistic relativity, proposes that the structure of a language influences a speaker's perception of the world and their thought processes. It exists in strong (language determines thought) and weak (language influences or shapes thought) versions, with the latter being more widely accepted, suggesting that language provides frameworks for understanding reality but doesn't completely limit them.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psycho...ltural%20levels.


This post has been edited by Phoenix_KL: Sep 25 2025, 09:57 PM

well blimey....

ban children below 7yo from speaking england. if caught, jailtime.

Soon, no need to learn English in primary school

Another bodo kangkung professor. Eh, associate professor. Not even a full professor.

I plan to use English as main language with my kid

You blow?

Why not just say reject English ? We understand you fucking anemiac.

wtf is anemiac

Brain not receiving sufficient oxygen, so the brain can't fuckin function normally

>>whether this threatens the role of Malay

Pray tell, how. Everything official is Malay-first, and majority of the population is also Malay.

She's right. Should focus on malay to unite everyone. That's our national language and should be given priority. Why we need bahasa penjajah? We need to master our national language so no one speaks English. We should be like Japan and Korea, they speak their own language yet so successful.

Ya. Jual Nasi Lemak atau Ramly Burger dulu.

No.

japan, korean, france etc. no english no problem why we so special?

Bahasa and English is almost LPPL, ABC only.
if you want your kid speaks Mandarin, you should not start English first.

We must all talk and use Malay all the time.

But when we buy stuff, we must buy white people stuff.

Shows the guy below.

learn bahasa wicet dulu

Might as well be born in caves...