Language Policy Strategies of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia

Abstract

This paper emphasizes language policy strategies of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. These three countries are the three highly successful Southeast Asian countries in language policy. This success, in our opinion, is due to the fact that the governments of these countries have had very clear and methodical strategies on language policy. To gain findings, this study combines the use of multiple research methods at the same time such as theoretical synthesis, analyzing and describing, comparing and contrasting, deductive and inductive scientific thinking, quantitative statistical methods. The results show that the language policy strategies of the above governments focus on five main contents namely proper recognition of national language context, determining and developing national languages, overcoming ethnic conflicts, aiming at international integration, socio-economic development of the country, implementing language policies appropriate to each historical period and overcoming limitations in the policy enforcement process.