Malaysia’s national language status remains secure while the government boosts English skills for the workforce to ensure global competitiveness, says Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan.
KUALA LUMPUR: The status of Bahasa Melayu as the national language will not be compromised, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said today.
He affirmed that Malay remains the language for official and administrative affairs.
This comes as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen English proficiency among the workforce to ensure global competitiveness.
“English proficiency is a critical core competency, particularly for new entrants to the workforce,” Ramanan said during the Dewan Rakyat’s question-and-answer session.
He explained it is essential for navigating a globalised, high-technology work environment driven by automation and AI.
Ramanan was responding to a question from Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (PN-Kuala Kangsar) on his ministry’s position.
He stated that English serves as an international lingua franca for accessing global knowledge, technology, trade and higher education.
On strengthening language skills, he said the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) has integrated English into the National Occupational Skills Standards.
This integration focuses on globally oriented sectors like ICT, aerospace, automotive and professional services.
Skills training institutions under the Department of Skills Development have also been enhanced.
Improvements include expanded use of bilingual materials, presentations and assessments in English.
More than 2,000 free courses related to English, professional communication and workplace skills have been provided.
Responding to a supplementary question from RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong), Ramanan addressed learning other languages like Chinese or Japanese.
He said the primary focus remains on English due to its widespread use in trade and corporate management.
However, proficiency in other languages is strongly encouraged.
