Bangsa Malaysia and Recent Malaysian English Language Policies

Abstract

This paper analyses Malaysia’s English language policies, especially since the mid 1990s, in the light of more recent claims for a united Malaysian nation (under the banner of bangsa Malaysia) and in the context of English language and its potential for Malaysia to forge more of an externalised identity. It examines the impact of postindependence measures to boost the status of Malay by switching the language medium in schools to Malay (Bahasa Malaysia). This had an immediate effect on English medium schools, but the same measure was not carried through to Chinese or Tamil schools. For the latter, students nonetheless had to demonstrate competence in Bahasa Malaysia and so there evolved an effective bilingualism for non-Malays – a bilingualism that was not generally available for the bulk of Malay students. By the 1990s, Malaysia sought to reintroduce English language competence via its schools and tertiary education. This measure is part of an overall effort to engage with the globalising world.