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Malaysians need international languages to compete globally, according to Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg
Abang Johari has urged Malaysians to master both English and Mandarin, saying the country needs people who can communicate confidently with international partners to remain competitive in the global economy.
He said Malaysia's position as a trading nation makes proficiency in international languages increasingly important, Dayak Daily reported over the weekend.
"What is wrong with using an international language if we want our children to develop an international mindset and outlook?
"We cannot view things only in the context of Sarawak. We must think globally because today's economy is global. We are also a trading economy.
"Therefore, we need an international language to build networks at the international level," he was quoted as saying.
He added that improving English proficiency should not come at the expense of Bahasa Melayu, stressing that the national language remains part of the country's identity and patriotism.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
Image via BernamaHe also said that Sarawak's decision to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) took into account China's emergence as one of the world's largest economies
According to TVS and Dayak Daily, he said proficiency in Mandarin would give the Bumiputera community an advantage in communicating with business partners and expanding trade opportunities, including exports of commodities such as palm oil to China.
"That is why the late former Sarawak chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, together with us in the government, decided to recognise the UEC so that the Bumiputera community would become multilingual in today's open economy.
"Otherwise, we would lose out because we do not possess that knowledge," he said.
The UEC is the school-leaving qualification for students from Chinese independent schools.
It is academically equivalent to STPM or international A-levels, and has been recognised by the Sarawak government since 2016 for entry into the state civil service, state-owned higher education institutions, and Yayasan Sarawak education loans.
