Academician: Early dominance of English among urban children may undermine national identity

THE increasing trend of urban primary school children adopting English as their primary spoken language must be approached with caution, as it may threaten the role of Bahasa Melayu and the cultural identity it upholds, a senior academic has warned.

Associate Professor Dr Azizah Zain, of the Department of Early Childhood Education at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), said that although English proficiency is undeniably important, Bahasa Melayu must not be sidelined in the process.

“As an educator, I believe this phenomenon warrants careful attention,” she said in an interview with Harian Metro. “While it’s true that English is important, when it becomes the main language in daily communication, we must ask whether this undermines the position of Bahasa Melayu as the national language.”

Dr Azizah emphasised that Bahasa Melayu is more than a tool of communication; it embodies national identity and cultural values that may be lost if children become more comfortable expressing themselves in English.

“Children who are more fluent in English risk missing the cultural nuances and values embedded in Bahasa Melayu,” she explained.

She added that language hierarchy plays a crucial role in early childhood development. Although bilingualism offers cognitive benefits, she stressed the importance of establishing a strong foundation in the mother tongue first.

“Bahasa Melayu as the mother tongue and national language should form a strong base before introducing a second language,” she said.

Dr Azizah warned that if English becomes dominant too early, children may struggle to develop deep cognitive and conceptual understanding in their first language.

“Such a situation could impair their ability to fully grasp concepts that are best understood through the mother tongue,” she said.

While acknowledging the advantages of early English fluency – such as confidence in global communication, wider access to information, and future job prospects – Dr Azizah believes these should not come at the cost of national linguistic identity.

“There are certainly positives, but I believe children who are strong in Bahasa Melayu first and then master English will be more effective than those who prioritise English from the start,” she said.

The greatest risk, she noted, is when children become increasingly ‘detached’ from the Malay language and culture.

To counter this, Dr Azizah encouraged parents to adopt a structured approach at home by nurturing thinking skills in Bahasa Melayu and introducing the richness of Malay literature.

“Teach children to think in Bahasa Melayu, and expose them to its literary beauty – pantun, syair, and folk tales – to showcase its richness,” she advised.

She also called on schools to reinforce the primacy of Bahasa Melayu as the main medium of instruction, with English taught as an additional subject.

In conclusion, Dr Azizah suggested that children should ideally build their proficiency in Bahasa Melayu until at least the age of seven or eight before placing greater emphasis on foreign languages like English. - September 25, 2025