BAHASA MELAYU, BAHASA MALAYSIA, BAHASA KEBANGSAAN?

Dulu guna istilah Bahasa Melayu. Biar apapun, DBP kena cari semua istilah seboleh-bolehnya mesti berteraskan Melayu, tak kira cedok dari dialek Kelantan, Kedah, Riau, Palembang, dsb asalkan dasar katanya Melayu. Maka mendabek dadalah DBP (terutamanya Datuk Hassan), pasal Melayu, masa tu terlolonglah gema DBP=UMNO.

(2) Kerana ada yang tak senang, maka mulalah guna istilah Bahasa Malaysia. Asasnya ialah, kalau dihad hanya pada teras sukukata Melayu, maka bahasa ini tidak akan berkembang. Apatah lagi dalam dunia keilmuan.

(3) Akhir-akhir ini, istilah yang digunakan beralih pula ke Bahasa Kebangsaan. Begitulah jadinya nasib bahasa negara kita. Yang seronoknya, teras Bahasa Kebangsaan kita mulai beralih dari Bahasa Melayu atau Bahasa Malaysia (termasuk Melayu (dengan pelbagai dialek), Cina dan India) ke berasaskan bahasa Inggeris (Arab mulai berkurangan). Sebab musababnya ialah Bahasa Melayu dan atau Bahasa Malaysia tidak mempunyai istilah yang mencukupi untuk menerangkan segala sesuatu.

(4) Persoalannya, apakah ini benar dan sebenar-benarnya benar? Atau kerana (a) Sebab malas nak fikir atau cari istiah yang tepat atau sepadan dengan apa yang diungkapkan dalam bahasa Inggeris contoh REFORMATION maka jadilah Reformasi! (b) Atau, sebab sedap bunyinya, lebih gah, lebih muktahir, lebih canggih? (c) Atau, kita tak mahir dalam kedua-dua bahasa, maka kita cari jalan mudah, untuk melepaskan diri?

(5)Alangkah buruknya tabiat kita, sehingga bahasa sendiripun kita dah tak peduli, main hentam kromo saja. Tidakkah kita suatu hari nanti, walaupun tetap Melayu, tetapi Melayu yang dah diInggeriskan (Arabkan)?

(6)Tidakkkah mungkin, kita suatu hari nanti, menjadi orang Melayu yang sudah tidak dapat menyatakan pendiriannya dan penggangan kita mengikut Jatidiri Melayunya, melainkan menggunakan jatidiri pinjaman Inggeris atau apa juga bahasa pinjaman lainnya (termasuk Arab).

(7) Maka tidak heranlah, masyarakat kita diluar bandar, sudah tidak faham dengan apa yang kita sampaikan di dada percetakan, tv, radio, perbicaraan, pidato, dsb. Mereka sudah binggung, Bahasa yang kita gunakan adalah asing bagi mereka. Maka apa juga yang kita sampaikan sudah tidak kesampaian. Oleh sebab itulah, pemikiran yang baik-baik terutama dari golongan muda, tidak dimergertikan oleh golongan terdahulu. Sudah wujud jurang bahasa anatara kita dan mereka. Dalam Inggeris, Exist Communication Gap.

(8)Dulu dulupun, nenek moyang kita tidakpun terdedah mana sangat dengan bahasa-bahasa asing ini. Tapi dapat pulak mereka mencipta istilah dari kosong, satu, dua...sampai juta, laksa begitu juga dari satu hun, kepada inci, kepada kaki, kepada ela, rantai, batu....semuanya dapat difikir, cipta, dan gunakan. Siapa kata Melayu Tak Boleh?

(9) Pokoknya, sifat malas, sambil lewa, ambil mudah, akan mengakibatkan kita hilang dayacipta, hilang dayafikir, hilang segala-galanya perlahan-lahan. Mudah-mudahan jangan sampai begitu.

Posted by ABDULLAH CHEK SAHAMAT at 8:54 AM 0 comments
English, Maths and Science: A Debate
Should Maths and Science be thought in ENGLISH or BAHASA KEBANGSAAN? What is/are the main issues? Is it the (a) Teaching medium (b) Ability to excel in Maths and Science, or (c) Ability to excel in English? but (d) What happen to the capability to excel in Bahasa Kebangsaan?
(1)The main focus of the issue in fact, I believe is wrt the Malay students poor performance in Maths and Science. If this is not immediately corrected, this would lead to long term inter racial professionalism gap, whereby the Malays wouldn't be equitably reperesented in the science and math-based skilled/professionalism development vis. engineering, medical, accountant, etc. If this is not taken seriously, not only the Malays will be in a disadvantage position, but the country as a whole will be loosing. Thus, the worry is valid, and must be properly address.

(2)For some, the concern, in fact is wrt the Malay students poor performance in Maths and Science. In general, they are not that good in those areas, and their poor COMMAND in English had been placed as the main factor. Now, to this group school of thought, is it not the Malay students poor COMMAND in English is the main issue? The poor performance in Maths and Science is just the EFFECT. If so why not, we analyse the causes for the Malay students poor command in English? But again, if they are good/excellent in English, would they be great in Maths and Science?

(3) Surely there is a second school of thought especially among the Malay Interest scholars and intellectual, English is not the issue. Their argument is that the Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Rusian, German, etc never used English as their medium of Maths and Science teaching, yet they excel. Why?

(4) The other worry is that if the Malay students continue to have poor English COMMAND, with the present globalization trend, would they also not gonna be in a disadvatage position? And, with bad English command, will the Malays be able to acquire a READING HABIT? Reading that give them greater knowledge, not reading all those 'kaki lima' junk magazines!

(4) Let me share my experience. (a) At elementary school level (1966-72), I studied every thing in English, except Bahasa Melayu subject. (b) Then I went to study in Lower Secondary, Secondary, Matriculation and University (1973-84) using fully Bahasa Malaysia, except in English subject as the medium of teaching. The same for my post grad study in 1996-98. Meaning, my English-based education is only basic and at young age, lasting for SIX initial years, while BM/BK lasting for ELEVEN years, but at a more matured stage.

(5) In fact, initially, for three months at Lower Secondary School, I was attending my classes in English. But, I was stuborn, n refused to continue to study is such school, and moved out to Sekolah Menengah Kebansgsaan. The reason is not because of the English medium, but due to I don't understand what my teacher was teaching especially the Science and Maths subjects. I was not happy, I know, my command in Maths and Science were great.

(6) It was proven then that I have no problem to excel in Maths and Science. I grad in Science stream, except when come to profession I choose to take up Management. Despite 11 years at the Secodary and Tertiary educational level, I didn't improve much in English, but my Bahasa Melayu excel greatly.

(7) One thing for sure, my Lower Secondary School is not a good school. Mixed with lot of poor rural students and even some aborigins (Orang Asli). BUT, the teachers were dedicated. They really wanna spent time with the students. They even go on one-to-one teaching. Or even, using the bright students as mentor to the weaker one. We used to have free TUITION on the weekend, despite I was excellent in Maths, Science and English, my teachers made it compulsory for me to come to the free tuition, which actually I didn't need it. The idea, is, to show to the other weaker students that, despite how good I was, I still wanna learn more...motivation purpose in fact. The teacher work hard to make us UNDERSTAND the subject, not MEMORIZING the subject. They teach us in the LANGGUAGE and METHODOLOGY that we can UNDERSTAND.

(7)Then again when I moved to a better school, Fully Residential School (SMSAH), the emphasis of the teacher is making us UNDERSTAND. Not only in Maths and Science, but all of the subjects.

(8) That is the approach I observed in American Education. Making student to understand and willing to argue.

(9)Therefore, I believe, let start teaching English using proper method at younger age, even at Kindy. Let just remember, our grand parents/parents, make us read the Quran at a very early age, and till today, despite we normally seldom read the Quran, but we still can read! In Malay, MELENTUR BULUH HENDAKLAH MASA REBUNGNYA. Let learn from our old folk wisdom!

(10)Maths and Science could easily be master, if the TEACHING METHODOLOGY is correct, but must remember, each method would only be good for certain students depending on their socio-economic background. The teacher/parent must be mindful of such.

(11) For Educationist planner, let focus on the (a) TEACHING METHOD (b) FOR EACH SUBJECT (Maths, Science, etc), CAREFULLY WEIGHT THE STUDENT MENTAL CAPABILITY based on their age to absorb the subjects.

(12) To my teachers Chegu Sitam Deron, Ms Lee/Lim, Chegu Kasma Booty, Chegu Mustapha Chang (Primary), Chegu Arifin, Mr. Tee, Chegu Adibah, Chegu Mustapha, Chegu Mokthar, Chegu Zainab....(Lower Secondary), Chegu Ali Salleh, Chegu Latifah, Chegu Noraini, Chegu Nordin, Mr. Tan Ben Hock...(Secondary)...though I can't remember your full name and all of you, I respect all of you for your dedication. Thanks.