[lg policy] Malaysia: Sarawak CM: If you don’t speak English, you will be left behind

[Harold Schiffman]

Sarawak CM: If you don’t speak English, you will be left behind

[image: Tan Sri Adenan Satem (centre) on arrival at the Bau Community
Centre. He says he does not care what others say about his English language
policy, November 24, 2015. ― Picture by Sulok Tawie]Tan Sri Adenan Satem
(centre) on arrival at the Bau Community Centre. He says he does not care
what others say about his English language policy, November 24, 2015. ―
Picture by Sulok TawieBAU, Nov 24 — Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem
rejected criticism of his move to adopt English as one of Sarawak’s
official languages, saying that those who shun the language are putting
themselves at a disadvantage.

He further stated that employing English for official use in his
administration would also benefit Sarawak’s multiracial and multicultural
natives.

“I am just being realistic as English is a language used in commerce,
science and technology among the international community,” he said. “If you
don't speak English, you will be left behind.”

“I do not care what others (from Peninsular Malaysia) say about our
adoption of English as our official language,” he said at the handing over
of land titles and land compensation to owners of native customary rights
land here, today.

Speaking to reporters later, Adenan said critics of his English language
policy have the right to express their views, but that he disagreed with
former federal minister Tan Sri Rais Yatim's claim that the adoption of
English in Sarawak would create discord among Malaysians.

The chief minister further said his English language policy will not be in
conflict with the Federal Constitution as claimed by some critics.

“I am not talking about replacing Bahasa Malaysia with English. No, we are
not doing that. I am talking adopting English as our official language,
apart from Bahasa Malaysia,” he said, explaining that English will not be
the exclusive language to be used in the state government administration.

At the state civil service day gathering on November 18, Adenan announced
the adoption of English as one of the official languages in the state
government administration.

Responding to the announcement, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari
Openg said Sarawak was merely upholding the right under the Malaysia
Agreement 1963 by adopting English as the official language.
- See more at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/sarawak-cm-if-you-dont-speak-english-you-will-be-left-behind#sthash.vZiJ20g5.dpuf



-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20151124/efc55346/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list