The State With the Highest Number of Malays Studying Chinese Is...
Surprise, surprise! Kelantan has the highest number of Malay students studying the Chinese language!
By Mei Mei Chu — 07 Oct 2013, 05:43 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
The Singapore Straits Times reported a surprising phenomenon happening in Malaysia
The Straits Times recently went to one of the east-coast state's religious schools and saw how female students in baju kurungs and Muslim veils were learning to read and speak in Mandarin and write in Chinese.
themalaysianinsider.com
Kelantan, with a population of 1.6 million, is comprised of 95% Malays, the remainder made up of Chinese, Thai and Indian communities.
yahoo.comKelantan, "most Malay state" in Malaysia, has the highest number of Malays studying the Chinese-language
Kelantan, the "most Malay state" in Malaysia, has proportionately more Malays studying Chinese than anywhere in the country.
yahoo.com
Kelantan, "most Malay state" in Malaysia, has the highest number of Malays studying the Chinese-language
Image via moe.edu.sgThis surprising phenomenon was reported by the Singapore Straits Times, which noted that it was common to find Malays in the state enrolling their children in Chinese-language schools or attending Chinese-language classes offered in religious schools.
themalaysianinsider.com
In contrast, there is only an average of 10% Malay students enrolled at Chinese vernacular schools in other states.
themalaysianinsider.com
Kelantanese are taking cue from the good examples and encouragments set by spiritual leader Nik Aziz
"The Kelantanese see the party's spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat as the prime example of someone who encourages the younger generation to take up the Chinese language, as five of his grandchildren attend Chinese schools," said Mr Hu Pang Chaw, chairman of the PAS Supporters Congress, the party's non-Muslim wing.
Kelantanese are taking cue from the good examples and encouragments set by spiritual leader Nik Aziz
Image via sinarharian.com.myThe state government under PAS funds Mandarin classes in schools. It even sent three Malay-Muslim teaching college graduates to study Mandarin in Guangzhou, China in 2009 and has hired a few teachers from China to conduct Mandarin classes.
Besides sending the graduates to China to learn Mandarin, the state government has also hired teachers from China to come to Malaysia to conduct Mandarin classes.
yahoo.comMr. Wang Yin Kang, a Chinese-Muslim teacher at the Tarbiyah Mardhiyah Religious School, says students believe learning Chinese will enhance their job prospects
The students attending Chinese classes at the Tarbiyah Mardhiyah Religious Secondary School were taught by 51-year old Wang Yin Kang, a Chinese-Muslim teacher from Yunnan, China.
themalaysianinsider.com
Mr. Wang Yin Kang, a Chinese-Muslim teacher at the Tarbiyah Mardhiyah Religious School, says students believe learning Chinese will enhance their job prospects
Image via imgur.comWang teaches Mandarin to 160 students weekly and has lived in Kelantan for 18 years. He had initially gone to the state to do a diploma in Arabic studies and decided to stay behind after being offered a position to teach Mandarin and Arabic languages in several religious schools.
yahoo.comMr Wang was initially surprised that Malay students would want to take Mandarin classes.
"But I soon realised that it is because students believe that it will enhance their job prospects, especially given that China is a fast-growing country and its investments are everywhere," he told The Straits Times.
Researcher says encouraging Malay students to enroll in Chinese vernacular schools will also promote unity
Ms Heng Buai Chin, a researcher who has done studies on this phenomenon, said the government's move to encourage Malay students in Chinese vernacular schools promotes integration among students of various races.
"Malay-Muslim students in Chinese vernacular schools also tend to be more open to accepting the Chinese culture such as watching Chinese movies, and count and think in Chinese," she said.
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