In his National Day Rally speech this year, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong urged Singaporeans to learn the Chinese language in order to hop onto the China economic juggernaut.
Here, I wish to highlight the need to learn the Malay language. This may seem to be a contradiction to the prevailing trend, but it is not.
After Sept 11 and the events that have since taken place in Singapore, the Government is even more acutely aware of the gap between the different ethnic groups here which needs to be bridged.
One of the measures it has introduced is to encourage more students to take up a third language which includes Malay. At the moment, only the top 10% of students （primary school leavers） are allowed to take a third language in secondary school. This will be increased to 30% from 2004.
Meanwhile, Chinese clan associations here have begun to conduct Malay classes for Chinese Singaporeans who wish to learn the language. Malay associations have also organised courses for Malays who are keen to pick up Mandarin.
While responding to PM Goh's call to learn the Chinese language, we must also realise the importance of Malay. Who knows, Malaysia and Indonesia may one day also offer much-sought-after economic opportunities similar to those now present in China.
Let me quote a Malay saying：“Bahasa jiwa bangsa”, which means language is the soul of a race. If we know the Malay language, we will be able to understand how the Malays think, and why they react in a certain way to events unfolding in Singapore and elsewhere.
This will no doubt help to promote racial harmony and solidarity.
As it is, the Malay language is now used only in singing the national anthem and in giving commands during military training in national service. This may give our neighbours the impression that Singapore is unwilling to be a part of South-east Asia. PM Goh's call for Chinese Singaporeans to learn the Chinese language more seriously may make them even more suspicious.
The minorities in Singapore, i.e. the Malays, Indians and Eurasians, will also feel a little uneasy and wonder whether there will be a place for non-Chinese-speaking Singaporeans in Singapore. This kind of sentiment will certainly weaken the sense of racial harmony in Singapore.
There is yet another reason for learning Malay which is the national language of Malaysia and Indonesia. Mastering Malay means we will be able to communicate with 2,100 million Malaysians. Due to a school system in which Malay is the main medium of instruction, Malaysians' command of foreign language, i.e. English, has declined drastically and Malay appears to be the only language known to the younger generation of Malaysians.
Once the Indonesian political and economic situations stabilise, Indonesia will also be able to develop by leaps and bounds and will offer tremendous business opportunities to us.
In conclusion, not only can learning Malay enhance cultural exchanges between the different races in Singapore, but it can also benefit us economically. Let's start learning and mastering Malay as well.
（The writer is a retired NUS professor in Malay.）
吳作棟總理在今年的國(guó)慶群眾大會(huì)演說(shuō)中呼吁國(guó)人學(xué)好華文,以便搭上中國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)快車。我在這里強(qiáng)調(diào)為什么我們需要掌握馬來(lái)文,看起來(lái)好像和大勢(shì)所趨背道而馳,實(shí)際上并非如此。
九一一和后來(lái)在新加坡發(fā)生的一些事件,使政府更強(qiáng)烈的意識(shí)到各種族之間的了解還有待改善,因此采取了一些政策促進(jìn)族群的相互了解。
其中一個(gè)政策是鼓勵(lì)學(xué)習(xí)他族的語(yǔ)文,并決定從2004年起,允許更多（30%）的小學(xué)畢業(yè)生修讀第三語(yǔ)文,包括馬來(lái)文。
另外,福建會(huì)館和宗鄉(xiāng)總會(huì)也聯(lián)辦馬來(lái)語(yǔ)會(huì)話班,為公眾人士提供學(xué)習(xí)馬來(lái)文的機(jī)會(huì)。一些馬來(lái)團(tuán)體也開辦華語(yǔ)會(huì)話班,方便馬來(lái)人學(xué)習(xí)華語(yǔ)。
在響應(yīng)吳總理的號(hào)召學(xué)好華文的同時(shí),國(guó)人也學(xué)好馬來(lái)文。有朝一日,馬來(lái)西亞和印尼也可能提供和中國(guó)一樣具有吸引力的商機(jī)。
有一句馬來(lái)諺語(yǔ)說(shuō)：“語(yǔ)言是一個(gè)民族的靈魂”。掌握了馬來(lái)文我們就能了解馬來(lái)人的想法,和他們對(duì)發(fā)生在新加坡和其他地方的事件的反應(yīng)。這無(wú)疑可以加強(qiáng)族群的和諧與團(tuán)結(jié)。
馬來(lái)文雖然是新加坡的國(guó)語(yǔ),卻只在唱國(guó)歌和軍事訓(xùn)練發(fā)施號(hào)令時(shí)才被應(yīng)用。這可能使我們的鄰國(guó)認(rèn)為新加坡并不熱衷于作為東南亞的一分子。吳總理鼓勵(lì)華族認(rèn)真學(xué)好華文,可能會(huì)引起他們更大的猜疑。
新加坡的少數(shù)民族,即馬來(lái)人、印度人和歐亞裔人也會(huì)覺得不安。他們會(huì)懷疑如果不懂華文,他們?cè)谛录悠率欠襁€能享有一席之地,這樣的想法肯定會(huì)削弱種族和諧。
馬來(lái)文是馬來(lái)西亞和印尼的國(guó)語(yǔ),掌握了馬來(lái)文,我們便可以和2100萬(wàn)的馬來(lái)西亞人溝通。馬國(guó)政府多年來(lái)實(shí)行馬來(lái)文至上的教育政策,馬來(lái)人使用外語(yǔ),例如英語(yǔ)的能力每況愈下,馬來(lái)語(yǔ)幾乎是新一代馬來(lái)人能掌握的語(yǔ)言。
另外,當(dāng)印尼的政治和經(jīng)濟(jì)上了軌道后,國(guó)家便能快速的發(fā)展,從而提供新加坡巨大的商機(jī)。
總的來(lái)說(shuō),掌握馬來(lái)文不但可以促進(jìn)國(guó)內(nèi)各族群之間的交流和了解,也能為我們帶來(lái)經(jīng)濟(jì)利益。讓我們來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)馬來(lái)語(yǔ),掌握馬來(lái)文吧！
。作者是新加坡國(guó)立大學(xué)退休馬來(lái)文教授。
Here, I wish to highlight the need to learn the Malay language. This may seem to be a contradiction to the prevailing trend, but it is not.
After Sept 11 and the events that have since taken place in Singapore, the Government is even more acutely aware of the gap between the different ethnic groups here which needs to be bridged.
One of the measures it has introduced is to encourage more students to take up a third language which includes Malay. At the moment, only the top 10% of students （primary school leavers） are allowed to take a third language in secondary school. This will be increased to 30% from 2004.
Meanwhile, Chinese clan associations here have begun to conduct Malay classes for Chinese Singaporeans who wish to learn the language. Malay associations have also organised courses for Malays who are keen to pick up Mandarin.
While responding to PM Goh's call to learn the Chinese language, we must also realise the importance of Malay. Who knows, Malaysia and Indonesia may one day also offer much-sought-after economic opportunities similar to those now present in China.
Let me quote a Malay saying：“Bahasa jiwa bangsa”, which means language is the soul of a race. If we know the Malay language, we will be able to understand how the Malays think, and why they react in a certain way to events unfolding in Singapore and elsewhere.
This will no doubt help to promote racial harmony and solidarity.
As it is, the Malay language is now used only in singing the national anthem and in giving commands during military training in national service. This may give our neighbours the impression that Singapore is unwilling to be a part of South-east Asia. PM Goh's call for Chinese Singaporeans to learn the Chinese language more seriously may make them even more suspicious.
The minorities in Singapore, i.e. the Malays, Indians and Eurasians, will also feel a little uneasy and wonder whether there will be a place for non-Chinese-speaking Singaporeans in Singapore. This kind of sentiment will certainly weaken the sense of racial harmony in Singapore.
There is yet another reason for learning Malay which is the national language of Malaysia and Indonesia. Mastering Malay means we will be able to communicate with 2,100 million Malaysians. Due to a school system in which Malay is the main medium of instruction, Malaysians' command of foreign language, i.e. English, has declined drastically and Malay appears to be the only language known to the younger generation of Malaysians.
Once the Indonesian political and economic situations stabilise, Indonesia will also be able to develop by leaps and bounds and will offer tremendous business opportunities to us.
In conclusion, not only can learning Malay enhance cultural exchanges between the different races in Singapore, but it can also benefit us economically. Let's start learning and mastering Malay as well.
（The writer is a retired NUS professor in Malay.）
吳作棟總理在今年的國(guó)慶群眾大會(huì)演說(shuō)中呼吁國(guó)人學(xué)好華文,以便搭上中國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)快車。我在這里強(qiáng)調(diào)為什么我們需要掌握馬來(lái)文,看起來(lái)好像和大勢(shì)所趨背道而馳,實(shí)際上并非如此。
九一一和后來(lái)在新加坡發(fā)生的一些事件,使政府更強(qiáng)烈的意識(shí)到各種族之間的了解還有待改善,因此采取了一些政策促進(jìn)族群的相互了解。
其中一個(gè)政策是鼓勵(lì)學(xué)習(xí)他族的語(yǔ)文,并決定從2004年起,允許更多（30%）的小學(xué)畢業(yè)生修讀第三語(yǔ)文,包括馬來(lái)文。
另外,福建會(huì)館和宗鄉(xiāng)總會(huì)也聯(lián)辦馬來(lái)語(yǔ)會(huì)話班,為公眾人士提供學(xué)習(xí)馬來(lái)文的機(jī)會(huì)。一些馬來(lái)團(tuán)體也開辦華語(yǔ)會(huì)話班,方便馬來(lái)人學(xué)習(xí)華語(yǔ)。
在響應(yīng)吳總理的號(hào)召學(xué)好華文的同時(shí),國(guó)人也學(xué)好馬來(lái)文。有朝一日,馬來(lái)西亞和印尼也可能提供和中國(guó)一樣具有吸引力的商機(jī)。
有一句馬來(lái)諺語(yǔ)說(shuō)：“語(yǔ)言是一個(gè)民族的靈魂”。掌握了馬來(lái)文我們就能了解馬來(lái)人的想法,和他們對(duì)發(fā)生在新加坡和其他地方的事件的反應(yīng)。這無(wú)疑可以加強(qiáng)族群的和諧與團(tuán)結(jié)。
馬來(lái)文雖然是新加坡的國(guó)語(yǔ),卻只在唱國(guó)歌和軍事訓(xùn)練發(fā)施號(hào)令時(shí)才被應(yīng)用。這可能使我們的鄰國(guó)認(rèn)為新加坡并不熱衷于作為東南亞的一分子。吳總理鼓勵(lì)華族認(rèn)真學(xué)好華文,可能會(huì)引起他們更大的猜疑。
新加坡的少數(shù)民族,即馬來(lái)人、印度人和歐亞裔人也會(huì)覺得不安。他們會(huì)懷疑如果不懂華文,他們?cè)谛录悠率欠襁€能享有一席之地,這樣的想法肯定會(huì)削弱種族和諧。
馬來(lái)文是馬來(lái)西亞和印尼的國(guó)語(yǔ),掌握了馬來(lái)文,我們便可以和2100萬(wàn)的馬來(lái)西亞人溝通。馬國(guó)政府多年來(lái)實(shí)行馬來(lái)文至上的教育政策,馬來(lái)人使用外語(yǔ),例如英語(yǔ)的能力每況愈下,馬來(lái)語(yǔ)幾乎是新一代馬來(lái)人能掌握的語(yǔ)言。
另外,當(dāng)印尼的政治和經(jīng)濟(jì)上了軌道后,國(guó)家便能快速的發(fā)展,從而提供新加坡巨大的商機(jī)。
總的來(lái)說(shuō),掌握馬來(lái)文不但可以促進(jìn)國(guó)內(nèi)各族群之間的交流和了解,也能為我們帶來(lái)經(jīng)濟(jì)利益。讓我們來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)馬來(lái)語(yǔ),掌握馬來(lái)文吧！
。作者是新加坡國(guó)立大學(xué)退休馬來(lái)文教授。