Various ethnics-based education groups today reaffirmed that to use, learn and develop the mother tongue is a fundamental right while celebrating the International Mother Language Day.

They opposed the argument that globalisation warranted the Anglicisation of the current mother tongue education system, such as to teach Science and Mathematics in English.

They also said the current existence of various education systems was an achievement of all Malaysians and must be nurtured by the government in the spirit of unity in diversity.

They urged the government to ensure civil societies participation, especially non-governmental organisations working for their respective mother tongue in the framing of public policies o­n language, education and culture.

Their appeal was part of the 10-point resolution passed at the International Mother Language Day celebration organised by the Dong Jiao Zong higher learning centre in Kajang, Selangor.

Speeches in respective mother tongues

The resolution read out by the Malaysian Tamil Education Research and Development Foundation (MTERDF) president M Manogaran, was endorsed by nine ethnic-based education and indigenous peoples groups.

Among them were Tamil pre-school education group Children Development Initiative, Centre of Orang Asli Concerned, Dong Jiao Zong and MTERDF.

It also included indigenous education groups SPNS, East Malaysia-based Borneo Research Institute, Indigenous People Development Centre, Kadazandusun Language Foundation and Partners in Community Organisation.

Their representatives were also invited to state their appeals in their respective mother tongue earlier.

Around 150 people from other education groups, civil groups, non-governmental organisations, youth organisations and human rights bodies turned up at the event to show their support for mother tongue education.

The celebration is the first in Malaysia after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) declared Feb 21 as the International Mother Language Day in 1999. Malaysia is o­ne of the 28 countries that seconded the proposal.

The date chosen was in commemoration of five students who died o­n Feb 21 in 1952 when defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former Pakistan, the eastern part of which became Bangladesh after the war of liberation.

Economistic 'development' definition

Dong Jiao Zong representative Dr Kua Kia Soong (right) in his speech urged the people to challenge the "imperative of globalisation" which warranted the Anglicisation of our education system.

"We see the gradual deculturisation of the mother language through the supposed 'global imperative' of the 'magic' international language - English. In Singapore, Chinese has been taught as a subject for the ethnic Chinese there in mainly English medium institutions.

"Now their leaders are lamenting the fact that Singaporeans have become so Anglicised or at least too Singlish that they are importing expatriates and students from China and the Malaysian nindependent Chinese secondary schools to make up the cultural gap," he said.

Kua, who is the principal of New Era College, said Malaysia, which faced the same
argument that globalisation warranted the Anglicisation of education should not accept such a definition of development.

"Cultural diversity widens the range of options open to everyone, it is o­ne of the roots of development, understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence," Kua added.

Language is an identity

Kadazandusun Language Foundation chief executive officer Rita Lasimbang (left) said that every language was entitled to a buoyant life.

"A language is deliberately used in the home and public sector, which its speakers are proud to be associated with, which has a vibrant culture that is consciously promoted and orchestrated into prominence, and which the younger generation is eager to use and be associated with, can never die," she said.

"(Therefore) mother languages should be preserved because languages is part of a nation's heritage; if o­ne language dies, there will also be serious loss of inherited knowledge," she added.

Rita said o­ne of the ways to preserve language is mother tongue education, which must be done with the support, involvement, commitment and financial assistance of the community.

MTERDF's Manogaran (right) said language was an expression of o­ne's identity.

"We have our own identities, children and younger generations will discover their identities from their mother-tongue language. Thus, if we exist, please also ensure the existence of our language as well," he said.

However, he said in Malaysia this "birth right" was facing tremendous challenges and obstacles.

"Mother tongue education is an internationally recognised birth right of a child. But strangely, we have to fight for this birth right in this country.

"Although it the prospects are bright, we must continue this struggle locally and internationally," he said to applause from the floor.

The o­ne-day celebration themed "Diversity strengthens culture" also featured an exhibition and a children's workshop.