“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”

- Ludwig Wittgenstein

COMMENT |



The old maverick’s recycled initiative of teaching and learning science and maths in English is of course welcomed. However, its reception by the usually subservient minions of Pakatan Harapan was expected. The prime minister can make audacious demands and policy changes but when he attempts to rock the vote boat, all these jittery cretins are lining up to claim that “this was not discussed in the cabinet”.

As if cabinet discussion did not merely involve the nodding of heads or, as we are told to believe, vigorous discussions which ultimately end with Harapan backtracking or slithering away from any election promise made in the fictional election manifesto.

Honestly, the former education minister Maszlee Malik should have been the one making this bold move but instead, the “decent” guy was making other moves. This is the kind of first step move which is justified if the reform of the system was really what Harapan was about.

An important point to remember. The detractors of this move are not afraid of science and maths. Those people are afraid that teaching science and maths in English will open up young minds to a world of possibilities that are at odds with the fascist underpinnings of culture and religion.

To be honest, I am not sure why some Malays would be afraid of such a thing. Non-Malay groups think is evident that “English” has not ameliorated their devotion to whatever cultural and religious dogma they rely on to navigate the fast-changing technological and geopolitical landscape...