Govt has ‘duty’ to accept English but Official letters not in BM will be returned, can the return improves the weak ringgit and brain drain: Grand plans for Malaysians working in Singapore

SIBU: The Federal Government is obligated to accept letters that are written in English in official communications from Sarawak, says state Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Michael Tiang.

“The Federal Government, in fact, has a duty to entertain English letters from Sarawak for official communications, as the National Language Act 1963/67 was never extended to Sarawak,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“Sarawakians are therefore free to opt to use English or Malay for letters to federal government departments since both languages are official languages in Sarawak.

“Particularly the use of the English language in Sarawak which is guaranteed by Article 161(3) of the Federal Constitution.”

ALSO READ: Federal Govt must accept official correspondence in English, says Sarawak minister

He was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive to all government departments and universities not to entertain any letters written in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia.

Tiang, who is also Pelawan assemblyman, reminded the Prime Minister that English and Malay are official languages in Sarawak.

In KOTA KINABALU, Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Dr Ahemad Sade said Sabah will keep to its optional use of English in all its official correspondence until decided otherwise by the state leadership.

“This (directive) was announced by the Federal Government, so we will look at it in detail,” he said after an event yesterday.

The question of whether to follow this policy, he said, will be discussed in a meeting with the state leadership closer to or after the state assembly meeting scheduled for the end of next month.

ALSO READ: Sabah keeping to optional use of English in correspondence until further notice

“For the time being, both Malay and English can be used,” he added.

Former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, who is Usukan assemblyman, said new policies should be coordinated with Sabah and Sarawak before being implemented.

He said that this is to ensure a smooth implementation while also bringing benefits to all.

“It cannot be denied that Malay is our national language, and we welcome this new policy (directive on all-Malay letters).

“But the importance of English also can’t be questioned,” he said during an excellence in education event in the Kota Belud district yesterday.

Another former chief minister, Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, said the policy could be detrimental to economic development.

LSO READ: Provide an early foundation in English

He noted that some government departments, by necessity and the nature of their work, must communicate in English.

“English is the lingua franca of international trade, communication and diplomacy.

“I am not only referring to Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) but also to agencies like the Malaysia Industrial Development Authority, Malaysia Trade Agency and Bank Negara.

“Returning incoming mail that is written in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia will also send a negative message to the international community.

“It will suggest that Malaysia is not open to foreign investment or trade and that it is not interested in collaborating with other countries,” he said in a statement.

Parti Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking said the directive should not have been issued arbitrarily but only carried out after seeking the feedback and consensus of the Sabah and Sarawak governments

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Grand plans for Malaysians working in Singapore

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Sabah keeping to optional use of English in correspondence until further notice

Federal Govt must accept official correspondence in English, says Sarawak minister

Provide an early foundation in English

Fed govt must accept letters in English from Sarawak ...

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Grand plans for Malaysians working in Singapore

Some English and European languages are Chinese dialects

Chinese scholars from the World Civilization Research Association claim that some European languages, including English, are dialects derived from Mandarin.

The group is formed by scholars from a number of Chinese academic institutions.

The claim, which is said to be backed by over 20 years of research, was presented at the first China International Frontier Education Summit in Beijing, China last July, as reported by Sina Online on Aug. 26 via Vice yesterday, Sept 9.

Zhai Guiyun, vice president and secretary-general of the group, told Sina Online via Taiwan News last Aug. 31, that some English words derive from Mandarin.

He pointed out that “yellow” resembled “yeluo, ” the Mandarin word for “leaf falling, ” while “heart” resembled “hede, ” the Mandarin word for “core.”

“Of course, the pronunciation will be a little different, which is caused by the variations in pronunciation over hundreds or even thousands of years in different regions, ” Zhai told Sina Online via Vice. “Think about how significant the differences are in our regional dialects... so it can be said that English is like a ‘dialect’ in our country.”

Zhai concluded that the examples he presented “proved” English is a Mandarin dialect.

Along with this claim, he also stated that other European-based languages such as French, German and Russian also went through a similar process of sinicization, where non-Chinese societies come under the influence of Chinese culture.

Another member of the association, Zhu Xuanshi added that Europe had no history before the 15th century.

This lack of history supposedly led the Europeans to feel “ashamed, ” and in turn, had “fabricated” stories of the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations. According to the report by Taiwan News, he stated that the said civilizations were all based on Chinese history.

In an attempt to “restore the truth of world history, ” the association has set up branches in Canada, Madagascar, South Korea, Thailand, United States and United Kingdom. The group’s founder, Du Gangjian said, “Do not let fake, Western-centered history hinder the great Sino-Renaissance.”

However, the claims did not convince many Chinese citizens. Users of the social media platform Weibo called the members of the association “Wolf Warrior Scholars, ” a reference to a patriotic Chinese movie.

“Thanks, ” one user was quoted as saying. “We can no longer laugh at the Koreans who claimed Confucius and Genghis Khan are Korean.” – Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
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Malaysian policy changes and new initiatives soon

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/06/07/policy-changes-and-new-initiatives-soon-dr-m-shift-includes-ensuring-top-civil-servants-know-and-spe/ 

PUTRAJAYA: Signalling a major policy change over defence and administrative issues, the Prime Minister has outlined several initiatives that the Government will undertake from now on.

For starters, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not want warships on either the Straits of Malacca or the South China Sea.

In doing so, Dr Mahathir has sent a strong message to superpo­wers, such as the United States and China, that Malaysia wish to remain neutral over their desire to control the region.

To ensure better spending of public funds, he has enlisted the help of former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang to head a high-level committee to look into the procurement of government supplies, starting with the Defence Ministry.

In a move to improve the running of the public sector, Dr Mahathir said top civil servants would have to sit for an English competency test, signalling a major initiative in pushing for the language to be part of the civil administration.

“We consider English a very important language and it must be mastered by all high-ranking civil servants. These top officers must have a strong command of English because they always have to deal with foreigners,” Dr Mahathir said at a press conference after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Instantly, former civil servants lauded the move, as many felt that government officers today were less proficient in English and as such, could not work as well as the seniors before them.

Tan Sri Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, for instance, said that it was important for civil servants at all levels to master the English language.

“It’s a good idea and it’s about time that this was introduced. Thailand and Vietnam are catching up very fast and we don’t want to be left behind,” said Dr Rebecca.

The former International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general said Miti staff in particular had to undergo English language training as the ministry was involved in a lot of international work, drafting agreements and statements that required a high level of proficiency in the language.

Former Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to United Nations Tan Sri Hasmy Agam concurred.

“It’s a fantastic idea. In this globalised age, we have to be proficient in English at all levels.

“If you are a civil servant and you are not proficient in English, you can’t participate much at the international level,” he said.

Hasmy said apart from top civil servants, proficiency in English should also be emphasised in schools and universities as well.

“If Malaysia is aspiring to join the ranks of developed countries, we have to start now.

“A Malaysian would be more patriotic if he or she can communicate in international languages, in this case English, when representing the country’s interests abroad.

“Negotiations in diplomacy, trade, labour – you have to negotiate in English,” he added.

Both Dr Rebecca and Hasmy said that the younger generation of civil servants were less proficient in English due to different mediums used in schools.

“We have to do it (English language training) for the younger ones coming into the service because they went through a Malay-medium education,” said Dr Rebecca.

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Sway of the Chinese language as China rising, but English is still king

https://youtu.be/fbQxXibXOxE
https://youtu.be/-HSrnqHkuwM

Sway of the Chinese language on display  

AT a recent forum in Hong Kong, Jim Rogers, a Wall Street tycoon, played a video of his daughter reciting a classical Chinese poem.

This is not the first time Happy Rogers has exhibited her proficiency in the language.

At an event in Singapore in 2013, the then nine-year-old showed off her nearly perfect Putonghua pronunciation and tone when she recited a not-so-well-known poem by Li Qiao, a Chinese poet during the Tang Dynasty. She won a big round of applause from the audience, most of them Chinese descendants. Happy’s sister Baby Bee, then five years old, did equally well, singing nursery rhymes in Chinese.

While it is not uncommon for young Chinese language learners to recite ancient poems, Happy spoke in classical Chinese with a fluency that could make even some native Chinese speakers envious, according to a report in Guangzhou Daily.

And recently, during US President Donald Trump’s visit to China, his granddaughter Arabella’s recital of Chinese poems went viral online, making her a “popular figure” among Chinese audiences.

There is a long list of foreign celebrities and their children learning Chinese, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ four children and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his daughter. Even Prince William, media reports say, studied Chinese in school.

The increasing popularity of the Chinese language has led to the introduction of various programmes and classes worldwide. It is estimated that more than 100 million people outside China, including overseas Chinese, are studying the language, as many believe it can be used as a tool to gain access to conveniences in not only China but also some other countries.

The growing enthusiasm of people in other countries to learn Chinese can be attributed to their love for Chinese culture.

It perhaps explains why traditional Chinese cultural elements, from kung fu films to ancient works such as The Analects of Confucius and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, have won so many global diehard fans. Many foreigners even believe that Chinese characters are an expression of aesthetic appreciation – maybe that’s why many famous personalities including former soccer star David Beckham have got Chinese characters tattooed on their body.

China’s economic and social development is another important factor for the growing interest in the language and culture. As the world’s most populous country and the second-largest economy, China for years has accounted for the largest number of students studying in other countries, which might also have made people overseas interested in the language.

As Jim Rogers said, whether you like or not, the 21st century will belong to China. He always tells people that if they have children, they shall encourage them to learn Chinese, “because Chinese will be the most important language”. For foreign companies intending to do business in China, they can have a huge advantage over their competitors if they can master the language.

And with the Belt and Road Initiative progressing smoothly, a number of Chinese enterprises will venture into countries along the ancient trade routes for business, which means a higher demand for Chinese speakers.

Source: China Daily/Asia News Network

China rising, but English is still king

 

Asia News Network and The Star recently published an article “Sway of the Chinese language”, detailing the rising popularity of learning Chinese as posted above.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, US President Donald Trump’s granddaughter and billionaire investor Jim Rogers’ daughter are among some of the famous people or their family members brushing up on their Chinese language skills.

Tourists from China are splashing their cash all over the world (in some countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, the Chinese can also go cashless by making their purchases through Alipay).

Meanwhile, economists predict that the GDP of China, currently the world’s second largest, would surpass the United States’ within 10 years. As the economic value of the Chinese language grows, it will unseat English to become the world’s leading language. Or so we are told....

But if history is a clue, this may not happen so soon.

In the heyday of the Roman Empire, as the great Julius Caesar and his successors conquered the Mediterranean, Latin became the dominant language of the European continent. The Roman Empire began to disintegrate in the fifth century. Latin, however, remained relevant for many centuries to come. (The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as Byzantine Empire, survived into 15th century, but its capital was in Constantinople, and its official language was Greek.)

In year 1215, the unpopular King John of England, pressured by rebel barons, issued Magna Carta. The document established for the first time the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. It is considered one of the first steps taken in England towards establishing parliamentary democracy. The Magna Carta was initially written in Latin.

In year 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published three papers which were collectively known as Principia Mathematica. These works form the foundation of classical mechanics. Principia Mathematica, like the Magna Carta, was written in Latin. That was more than 12 centuries after the demise of the Roman Empire.

In ancient times, Malay language was the lingua franca of the Malay Archipelago. Then the Western powers came, created the modern states of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia. Post-independence, Javanese, who make up 40% of Indonesia’s population, dominate the republic’s politics and economy. Somehow, Bahasa Indonesia is based on Malay rather than Javanese.

By 2050, China will become the world’s largest economy. The US will drop to second place. In the third spot, as economists believe, will be India. Like Malaysia, India was a British territory. And like our country, English, the language of the former colonial master, is still widely spoken.

By mid-century, the combined GDP of English-speaking and English-as-second-language nations, which include US, India, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia, will likely be larger than that of China.

I do not doubt that Chinese language will get more important every year, and I encourage everyone to learn it if conditions allow. However, it would be foolish if we, in the advent of “China’s Century”, neglect English.

By CHEW KHENG SIONG Kuala Lumpur

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