[COLUMNIST] The futility of resisting English: A barrier to national progress

RECENT social media buzz surrounding China’s groundbreaking DeepSeek AI model has reignited debates on language and innovation, with some commentators claiming that China’s decision to teach mathematics and science in Mandarin is the key to its success. Yet this view oversimplifies the issue and risks providing cover for Malaysian policymakers who may seek to weaken English education. In truth, China’s achievements stem from a decades-long strategy of embracing multilingualism—particularly English—while also nurturing home-grown talent. Misrepresenting China’s approach to justify rolling back English usage in Malaysia would threaten our nation’s potential for scientific and economic progress, rather than bolster it.

There is a prevailing misconception that a nation can only function effectively in a single language—the national language. Some individuals go so far as to condemn the use of languages other than the national language, even expressing disdain in the country’s legislative chambers.

However, if it were true that that a country could one accommodate one language, the world—comprising 195 nations recognised by the United Nations and 237 acknowledged by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—would not have over 7,000 languages in active use today (BBC, 2024; Ethnologue, n.d.).

English, serving as the lingua franca of science and technology advancement, is actively taught, and used in many countries. However, its use has come under fire in Malaysia, where some claim that English poses a significant threat to our national language, Malay, and even argue that it is the main reason why some Malaysians have lower Malay proficiency.

Due to this hostility, the Dual Language Programme (DLP)—designed to enhance students’ command of English—has been harshly criticised and gradually phased out, as EMIR Research explored in the article, “Enhancing Language Retention and Proficiency Through Multilingualism and Effective Teaching Methods”. Crucially, that research emphasises how learning multiple languages can actually reinforce overall language skills, thereby dispelling concerns that acquiring English undermines Malay proficiency. Moreover, given Malaysia’s three major ethnic groups and their respective languages, we should encourage proficiency in all. This not only strengthens national unity but also positions us to engage with emerging centres of innovation—such as China and India—in our quest to become ASEAN’s gateway to innovation (refer to “Malaysia’s digital renaissance: ASEAN’s gateway to innovation”).

It goes without saying that our national language must be upheld. As Malaysian citizens, it is our responsibility to ensure we can converse and comprehend Malay effectively.

Nevertheless, championing the Malay language does not entail disparaging other languages, and we certainly need not undermine them in our efforts to promote Malay.

There is no denying the importance of English in science and technology, given that 98% of current scientific publications are written in English (Ramírez-Castañeda, 2020). Without English proficiency, the next generation would face a significant disadvantage when pursuing careers in these fields.

Beyond STEM fields, many multinational corporations also use English as their primary working language. Consequently, if we wish to build partnerships and attract investment, English proficiency is an essential requirement.

While certain nations operate predominantly in their respective national languages, they also invest heavily in preparing their youth for the international stage through English. In other words, they promote their national languages but recognise English is a critical tool—exemplified by China, where the recent breakthrough with DeepSeek, a groundbreaking open-source AI model developed domestically, has rightfully sparked international curiosity about China’s unique strategies for talent cultivation.

Since the late 20th century, China has placed great emphasis on English, believing it offers advantages such as better-paid jobs, opportunities to collaborate with foreign companies, and broader access to up-to-date information via computer technology (Zhang, 2007).

Building on this rationale, the Chinese government made English compulsory from primary school through graduate studies back in 2001 (Zhou & Ito, 2011). In addition, most universities required students of all majors to enrol in and pass English courses. Only under Xi’s administration, new policies were made that oblige universities to process all applications regardless of the foreign language candidates choose during the Gaokao—China’s nationwide examination for admissions into universities and colleges (Zhou & Ito, 2011; Fan, 2023).

Quantifying a language’s contribution to country's development is challenging, but English proficiency is widely believed to have bolstered China’s progress in science and technology (Fan, 2023). Although the government appears to be shifting emphasis away from English, many urban parents strongly opposed scrapping English classes in 2023 (Sixth Tone, 2023).

Notably, the Chinese government has not simply reduced its emphasis on English education to prioritise Mandarin alone; they have widened choices so that young people can study Japanese, Russian, or other foreign languages.

This strategic shift is possible due to China’s globally competitive technological advancement, rooted in decades of prioritising English proficiency. Early English education equipped its youth to compete internationally and study overseas. Now, a changing push-and-pull dynamic has prompted many skilled Chinese diaspora professionals to return home. Combined with the Chinese government's heavy investment in research and development, their valuable global experience continues to accelerate China’s progress in science and technology.

China is not the only example of a region embracing multilingualism while primarily using its national language. In the European Union (EU), three-quarters of working-age adults speak at least one foreign language; in Slovenia and Luxembourg, more than half speak at least three (Eurostat, 2024).

In Asia, South Korea has prioritised English education since the 1990s, prompted by the global spotlight from the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Seoul Olympics (Park, 2009). Even before 1990s, South Korea had multiple revolutionary reforms on English education. For example, the South Korean National Curriculum of the 1970s shifted emphasis in English education from rote grammar (memorisation and translation) to communicative competence (Chang, 2009)—a significant move that predated similar reforms elsewhere, including China, where teaching methods primarily cantered on exam preparation rather than the ability to hold a conversation (Zhou & Ito, 2011).

This exam-centric approach may have contributed to the stereotype that the Chinese lack English skills, whereas in reality, their main challenge lies in conversational fluency rather than reading or writing.

Malaysia must now bolster its social, scientific, and technological foundations to future-proof its economy. Given todays’ global techno-social landscape, robust English proficiency remains critical not only to keep pace but to accelerate progress.

There are countless ways to cherish our beloved national language—through music, film, or cultural initiatives that celebrate traditional Malay artforms like wayang kulit. When promoted thoughtfully, these efforts not only preserve heritage but also strengthen tourism.

Ideally, publishing scientific journals in Malay on a global stage is an aspirational goal. Yet this demands first establishing a scientific research and development foundation on par with global leaders—a goal for which English proficiency remains indispensable.

We should cease viewing English as a threat to our culture identity and instead see it as tool for collective progress. Historically, languages such as German, French, and Latin played similar roles in disseminating scientific knowledge.

Rather than waging fruitless battles against English, our education system requires comprehensive reform aligned with international best practices (refer to “Urgent Need to Reform Malaysian Education System”), ultimately nurturing stronger students, graduates and future generations.

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Chia Chu Hang is a Research Assistant at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.

** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.

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