Monday, February 16, 2009

Why someone will force you to talk in BM, instead of English? Because you have no freedom to choose !

While reading an article on The Sun website, I was shocked by the fact that the writer has been questioned by Sepang councilor that why he is not speaking in Bahasa Malaysia and told the writer not to speaking in English?

Ok, maybe the councilor just do not understand English and too embarrass to admit that. Or maybe the councilor is worry that other attendees may not fully understand the issues discuss in the meeting by using English. Or maybe State Government meeting has become the only formal meeting in which Bahasa Malaysia has the chance to be use as official language.

But if that is the case, why that when other councilor spoken in English, the same matter was never raised? Maybe because the writer has no affiliation with any political parties, so he is the easy prey.

In many way, the conflict can be easily avoided if the councilor just ask the writer politely, to speak in Bahasa if possible. I would think that the writer will be more than happy to do so, instead of the embarrass him out in the open.

But back to the subject, why some will force you to speak in certain languages?

For me, the answer seems to be only one, that person is not comfortable to speak in other languages. In addition, the inability of make good conversation in English actually causes inferior complex. English has been seen as the language of choice by the higher class, in Malaysia at least. I don't have the statistic, but I believe the people that forces you not to speak in English are never educated oversea.

In the other hand, we have no freedom of speech in Malaysia with pseudo democracy system, why should no freedom to choose the desired language to express yourself is not one of the NOs?

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