It was estimated 150,000 (yes ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND) supporters who had participated in a demonstration against PPSMI implementation (English teaching in Mathemathics and Science subjects).
The story behind this movement started way back when Malaysia was still Malaya. English was once the medium of instruction in most schools, like many former British colonies across the world. In 1970s, then the government had changed the policy and started to implement Bahasa Malaysia as main medium in national education. It was done in order to comply the National Economic Policy, a good move to increase Malay competitiveness with other races (particularly Chinese). It was estimated, most industries during that time were still controlled by Englishmen, followed by Chinese and Indian.
Japanese can prosper without mastering English, so why cant we'? I personally feel the move was appropriate; IF it was properly implemented. Now after 30 years of implementation, Bahasa Malaysia had been long recognized as national language. All of our national education and government institutions had already deeply rooted into using Bahasa Malaysia.
Our leaders must know that a switch of language in education will take a LONG time of transition. 30 years, equivalent to 2 generations. By the time, when Malaysian are already used to Bahasa Malaysia, in such a sudden the policy was reversed back to using English. The transformation affected a lot, especially to our fellow teachers. Teachers to be retrained, school text books to be reprinted, examination subjects to be amended, etc... Perhaps the transformation may bring a lot of money-making opportunities to many cronies; reprinting of study materials, English training classes, education reformation, etc...
In those days, lack of Bahasa Malaysia usage was the main reason why Malaysian are not united, according to THEM. Now when Bahasa Malaysia is widely implemented, THEY said English is the universal language. Do you think Malay language are not significant to present-time Malaysian any more? That was 1990s, 20 years after Bahasa Malaysia was introduced in schools. Is Malay language dominance is the reason why Malays itself are not able to get a proper jobs, despite being a Sarjana Muda or Ijazah holder.
I am a product of Malay-type National school. I was(am) proud to speaking Bahasa Malaysia as our national language, but I also realise the important of English at the same time. I remember during those days in schools, I had trauma facing my teachers, who used Bahasa Malaysia to teach English subject. I have a better result in Bahasa Malaysia subject than many Malay students.
What I was trying to say is that, somewhere in between, the process turned haywired. Not the language policy to change, but the whole CULTURE! Malays are still lacking because of poor education policy by THEM, government of 50+ years. We the RAKYAT prefers our children to be taught with our mother tongue language. If THEY don't change, RAKYAT and next generations suffer!
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