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Education for unity in Malaya : an evaluation of the education system of Malaya with special reference to the need for unity in its plural society

In his winding-up speech at the Umno General Assembly 2014 last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Education Minister, said the ministry was considering making the third language an elective subject. Muhyiddin made the announcement in response to a proposal by Wanita Umno head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil at the assembly that learning a third language like Arabic, Mandarin or Tamil as an elective subject would make it a crucial communication tool towards fostering unity. “This (mastery of language) is not a new thing as in European countries, they master four languages such as English, French, German and Italian,” said Idris. He said four national schools in Besut would begin teaching Mandarin to Malay students, beginning next year

Muhyiddin, who is Education Minister, proposed the creation of jobs for 30,000 new language teachers in national schools to facilitate teaching of a third language as an elective subject.

He said mastering a third language could help the Malay, Chinese and Indian students understand each other better.

Muhyiddin said the third language policy was already included in the schooling system. "But too few took up (the third language course)," he added.