KOTA BELUD: Former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak opined that the implementation of the new policy, including requiring the use of the Malaysian language in official correspondence should “ideally” be coordinated with the governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
According to him, this was important to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy for the common good.
“There is no denying that Malay is the national language in Malaysia and we welcome this new policy, but the importance of mastering English cannot be disputed.
“This is because English as a global language is widely used and needs to be mastered, especially by civil servants dealing with foreign countries and students who will explore the field of knowledge in the field of education, and then apply it in the world of work,” he said.
The Usukan assemblyman said this in his speech at the 2023 SMK Pekan Outstanding Student Awards Ceremony (MAPEC) here today.
Also present were Kota Belud District Deputy Education Officer Laugan Iman
and Kota Belud SMK Pekan principal Rosmah Sardek.
Earlier, in his speech, Salleh called for a concerted effort, including parents, to help the country realise its goal of achieving international recognition for high standards in education.
Towards this end, he said that the Malaysian Ministry of Education (KPM) has launched a number of initiatives to meet this goal, including the Anak yang Baik Lagi Cerdik (ABC) initiative, which stands for “children who are good and smart.”.
According to him, one of the objectives of the ABC concept is to educate kids to be good and intelligent people.
“This idea is also consistent with the National Education Philosophy, which aims to further each person’s potential in a comprehensive and integrated manner to produce harmonious and balanced individuals,” he said.
In addition to building a society where people support one another, Salleh believes that the ABC concept can teach children to uphold morality and discipline, follow the law, and foster healthy competition among themselves.
He added that the MoE had also carried out a number of other initiatives, such as those that promote community engagement with schools and raise parental involvement in their children’s education.
