Malaysians should give themselves a pat on the back. Why? Because they despite having little access to the mass media managed to fight off the attempts by the government to communalise the language-switch issue.

Over the past months, the media led by the self-proclaimed defender of Malay rights, Utusan Malaysia have sought to pit Malaysians against Malaysians.

Those who opposed the government's move (read: Umno supreme council) to change the language of instruction for Maths and Science from Bahasa Malaysia to English were branded as 'chauvinists' and 'extremists' and told not to 'play with fire'.

Even the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial was invoked to spook these language 'terrorists'.

That the language-switch is an ill-conceived move much like the recent fiasco in the crackdown on illegal migrant workers was quickly brushed aside.

Indeed, the decision by the Umno supreme council for the two subjects to be taught in English was more of an afterthought outgoing Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had wanted the medium of instruction to be completely reverted to English but this was virulently opposed by party leaders.

Humble pie

So it wasn't surprising that Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was forced to correct media reports that the Malay groups he met recently were in total support for the government's plan.

The media couldn't have misquoted Abdullah since his claim appeared in not one but almost all newspapers. A more likely explanation is that Abdullah had given the impression that there was indeed complete support for the government's language-switch move.

Which was why the DPM received a quick rebuke from the Malay opponents to the plan.

That there is such robust opposition from the Malay community should not be news to malaysiakini readers. We have reported their disapproval in a number of news reports when others have kept mum.

Not mentioned too is how the plan is going to adversely affect the performance of pupils in the two subjects, especially the rural poor who cannot afford additional tuition, and that there is not enough qualified Maths and Science teachers who can instruct in English.

Educationists have also argued that the problem of proficiency could be solved by improving the teaching of English itself, and that students can better cope if the switch is done at the secondary level, not in primary schools.

Mahathir claimed that those who opposed the language switch were against improving our English skills. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Take for example, Dong Jiao Zong the umbrella body of the the United Chinese School Teacher's Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) and United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong), which sees itself as the protector of Chinese vernacular education.

It has been singled out as the main protagonist in the opposition to the language-switch plan.

Yet, for years Dong Jiao Zong has applied to the Education Ministry for approval to have English taught earlier in Chinese primary schools Standard One instead of Standard Three but it was rejected, time and again.

Instead, these schools took the initiative to organise additional English classes after school hours to help their pupils master the language.

Wrong picture

Mahathir said that a majority of the Chinese community supports the government's plan on the language switch.

Clearly, he has not been properly briefed by his two Chinese aides who are charged with the task of reporting the community's sentiments on controversial government policies.

The two were specially hired because the party which claims to represent the community, MCA, dares not tell the leader what he doesn't want to hear.

Indeed, it is not difficult for Mahathir's 'messengers' to feel the pulse of the community just read the Chinese press. Over the past few months, the views from the Chinese media have been decidedly against the language switch.

Perhaps it is time that someone tells the emperor that he is not wearing any clothes.