Prediction:Diversity vote bank will win next general elections in Malaysia.

It is time to have more than one definition for the term mother-tongue. It is time to have more than one meaning for the term mother tongue. How many mother-tongues does a bi-racial person have? How many mother-tongues does a tri-racial person have? Is English the mother tongue of Jamaicans? I am sure Swahili and Zulu are not as popular as English in Jamaica. I am sure English is widely used in Jamaica. I am sure Jamaicans are comfortable with English. Jamaicans and New Yorkers may speak English with a different accent. In a multi lingual nation like Malaysia, some Malaysians do speak English at home. Thus, English is the mother tongue of some Malaysians.  Many Malaysians do code switching when communicating. Many Malaysians are bi-lingual. Those Malaysians who are comfortable with English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. Those Malaysians who value English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. People should be allowed to claim two mother tongues if that’s what they want to claim. In short, we need several definitions to the term “mother tongue”.

Coming to the schools in Malaysia, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is in favor of teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue, not English. But English is a mother tongue to those Malaysians who claim it to be a mother tongue. There are different kinds of Malaysians and some may consider English to be their mother tongue. Some may have two mother tongues. Every family is different. This is the diversity; and diversity is the strength of Malaysia. Some of us are good in English, others good in Malay, and still others good in Tamil or Mandarin. Some mother tongues are good in the private sector, while others are good in the government sector. Some mother tongues are good in basketball while other mother tongues are good in long distance jogging. I hope Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will accept the fact that some Malaysians who value English as a family first language will be allowed to accept English as their mother tongue.  I think that accepting mathematics and science to be taught in the various  mother tongues is a good idea provided English is recognized as a mother tongue too for those who consider it as a mother tongue. Those who want to have two mother tongues should be allowed to do so. We need to find several definitions for the term mother tongue. It is indeed a good idea to support the teaching of mathematics and science in the mother tongue because this idea will probably get votes from all the different mother tongues including English. We will end up with multi-stream education (including English stream). Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. I hope Malaysians will vote for politicians who accept English as a mother tongue in Malaysia. Multi-stream education will give parents and students more choices.

Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. A Chinese who eats nasi lemak is probably from Malaysia. An Indian who uses chopsticks when eating is probably from Malaysia too. A Malay who eats stir fry noodles is probably from Malaysia too. And this is why Malaysia is truly Asia. Malaysians are a lot luckier than they realize. The co-existence of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures have helped to enrich Malaysia.   Teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue is indeed a good idea because it is in line with Malaysia’s diversity. And Malaysia’s diversity is Malaysia’s strength. English is a mother tongue among some Malaysians. Therefore, mathematics and science should be taught in Chinese to those who claim Chinese as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Tamil to those who claim Tamil as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Malay to those who claim Malay to be their mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in English to those who claim English as their mother tongue.  Any politician who accepts this idea will probably get votes to build a diversity vote bank. You build a vote bank by getting support from the different communities. If you can play the diversity card well, you can build the diversity vote bank; and the diversity vote bank will make the difference in the 14^th General Elections (GE14) in Malaysia. I’m almost about to predict that GE14 will be won by the diversity vote bank. So build your vote bank, Mr.Politician. The best bet would be a broad coalition. 

After reading this posting of mine, please copy and remail it to as many people as possible; and those who receive the remail copy should also remail it to others, who in turn should remail it to others.  Please use Facebook and Twitter to spread the word around. We must get the word around to as many people as possible.

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It is time to have more than one definition for the term mother-tongue. It is time to have more than one meaning for the term mother tongue. How many mother-tongues does a bi-racial person have? How many mother-tongues does a tri-racial person have? Is English the mother tongue of Jamaicans? I am sure Swahili and Zulu are not as popular as English in Jamaica. I am sure English is widely used in Jamaica. I am sure Jamaicans are comfortable with English. Jamaicans and New Yorkers may speak English with a different accent. In a multi lingual nation like Malaysia, some Malaysians do speak English at home. Thus, English is the mother tongue of some Malaysians.  Many Malaysians do code switching when communicating. Many Malaysians are bi-lingual. Those Malaysians who are comfortable with English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. Those Malaysians who value English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. People should be allowed to claim two mother tongues if that’s what they want to claim. In short, we need several definitions to the term “mother tongue”.

Coming to the schools in Malaysia, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is in favor of teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue, not English. But English is a mother tongue to those Malaysians who claim it to be a mother tongue. There are different kinds of Malaysians and some may consider English to be their mother tongue. Some may have two mother tongues. Every family is different. This is the diversity; and diversity is the strength of Malaysia. Some of us are good in English, others good in Malay, and still others good in Tamil or Mandarin. Some mother tongues are good in the private sector, while others are good in the government sector. Some mother tongues are good in basketball while other mother tongues are good in long distance jogging. I hope Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will accept the fact that some Malaysians who value English as a family first language will be allowed to accept English as their mother tongue.  I think that accepting mathematics and science to be taught in the various  mother tongues is a good idea provided English is recognized as a mother tongue too for those who consider it as a mother tongue. Those who want to have two mother tongues should be allowed to do so. We need to find several definitions for the term mother tongue. It is indeed a good idea to support the teaching of mathematics and science in the mother tongue because this idea will probably get votes from all the different mother tongues including English. We will end up with multi-stream education (including English stream). Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. I hope Malaysians will vote for politicians who accept English as a mother tongue in Malaysia. Multi-stream education will give parents and students more choices.

Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. A Chinese who eats nasi lemak is probably from Malaysia. An Indian who uses chopsticks when eating is probably from Malaysia too. A Malay who eats stir fry noodles is probably from Malaysia too. And this is why Malaysia is truly Asia. Malaysians are a lot luckier than they realize. The co-existence of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures have helped to enrich Malaysia.   Teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue is indeed a good idea because it is in line with Malaysia’s diversity. And Malaysia’s diversity is Malaysia’s strength. English is a mother tongue among some Malaysians. Therefore, mathematics and science should be taught in Chinese to those who claim Chinese as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Tamil to those who claim Tamil as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Malay to those who claim Malay to be their mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in English to those who claim English as their mother tongue.  Any politician who accepts this idea will probably get votes to build a diversity vote bank. You build a vote bank by getting support from the different communities. If you can play the diversity card well, you can build the diversity vote bank; and the diversity vote bank will make the difference in the 14^th General Elections (GE14) in Malaysia. I’m almost about to predict that GE14 will be won by the diversity vote bank. So build your vote bank, Mr.Politician.

After reading this posting of mine, please copy and remail it to as many people as possible; and those who receive the remail copy should also remail it to others, who in turn should remail it to others.  Please use Facebook and Twitter to spread the word around. We must get the word around to as many people as possible.

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