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PAGE Malaysia
Jan 14

PAGE Press Conference on DLP






Speech


Challenges faced by parents began in May this year when schools that offered full Dual

Language Programme or DLP were forced to switch to non DLP overnight. Instructions were

given on whatsapp without the support of anything written officially. Textbooks in English

were taken away and replaced with those in B Melayu or B Tamil.


Parents sought the help of PAGE when letters of appeal written by the PIBG or PTA

chairmen were ignored. Finally we had to go to Parliament to get the order overturned by

the Minister of Education.


The Minister of Education insists that full DLP schools must have one non-DLP class in the

new academic year 2024/25. If one reads the Surat Pekeliling Ikhtisas (SPI) KPM Bil 3 2020

dated 26 Nov 2020 there is no such provision. This must stop immediately.


We have two parents from Convent Bukit Nanas 1 here who went through agony. Please

feel free to speak to them, Puan Neela, Puan Elisa and Puan Mawar who are here to give

support to other parents who will face the same predicament if the Minister of Education

insists on continuing to restrict the expansion of DLP.


On November 23, 2023 the Prime Minister spoke of wanting student proficiency in English

improved while mastering Bahasa Melayu and that learning both languages should not be a

zero-sum game. He wants to make it compulsory for students to master both BM and

English.


The DLP is exactly that and more. The objectives of DLP as stated in the guidelines are three:

to enhance English proficiency, to acquire scientific knowledge in its lingua franca and to

improve employability yet ensuring BM or mother tongue is given significance beyond the

subjects of science and mathematics.


We have since written this memorandum seeking for full DLP schools to remain, expand DLP

schools, classes and pupils where criteria are met which are contained in the SPI. We have

hand delivered these memorandums to 31 cabinet ministers last Thursday and Friday. We

have the proof. We emailed their respective SUSK, PTTK and SUS on Saturday. They should

have opened their emails this morning.


If you have registered your emails we will kindly forward the memorandums in BM and

English along with a list of endorsers, our pictorial request and proof of physical delivery.

There are also physical copies at the registration table although limited in number.


We have been informed that there will be a cabinet retreat on 17-18 January and one of the

topics of discussion will be on education. We urge the cabinet to table our memorandum at

the retreat. We are merely seeking for the existing guidelines on DLP to be adhered to. Do

not add further restrictions to undermine the success of DLP. DLP can exist alongside the

English language improvement programmes that the Minister of Education has in mind.


I would like to introduce to you PAGE’s distinguished guests of honour, both have worn

many hats, and continue to wear hats of great importance.


Tan Sri Yong Poh, is chairman of Royal Selangor International Sdn Bhd, past president of the

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers or FMM, a trustee of the Malaysian Institute of

Economic Research or MIER and a member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council

Malaysia. But I know Tan Sri Yong from 2015 when he was in the Economic Council which

was tasked by the government to undertake the decline of English proficiency. Hence the

birth of DLP. He also took over the rein of the Majlis Penasihat Pendidikan Kebangsaan or

MPPK 2018-2020, where I was a member, when the appointed chairman Tan Sri Wan Zahid

started to ail. Tan Sri Yong will speak about the journey of DLP.


Tan Sri Sheriff Kassim, former Director General of the Treasury, Ministry of Finance, former

Managing Director of Khazanah, former Chairman of PLUS, founder member of G25 of

which I am also a member of. The list goes on. I know Tan Sri Sheriff when I was a fresh

graduate at Bank Negara. But of course he didn’t know me. Tan Sri Sheriff will speak about

the importance of the English language particularly in STEM and how it will influence jobs,

foreign investments and the economy as a whole.


After both Tan Sri Yong and Tan Sri Sheriff have enlightened us, I will take questions from

the media, if there are any.


Tan Sri Yong you have the floor for 20 mins followed by Tan Sri Sheriff.



 

2.       Tmi https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/480018

 

 

3.       Awani

 

4.       Star

 

 

 

7.       The Edge https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/697435

 

 

 

9.       SCJP

1:00 - 2:26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19.   Keluar Sekejap podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyWx79rTNHU&t=2s (0.38-0.55)

 

 

 

 

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