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Polls show majority support for English policies
08-July-2009, The Malaysia Insider
By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The majority of Malaysians want the teaching of mathematics and science in English to continue, the latest survey by an independent polling house shows.

The poll also showed that even more Malaysians backed the recent proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to make a pass in English compulsory in the SPM examination.

Despite the very vocal protest by some educationists and politicians, the poll by the Merdeka Center suggests many ordinary Malaysians did not agree with their nationalistic views and concerns that rural and Malay students would not be able to cope.

A whopping 69 per cent of Malaysians polled believed that a pass in English should be made compulsory.

Only 26 per cent of those polled disagreed, while five per cent were undecided.

Asked about the teaching of science and mathematics in English, 58 per cent of Malaysians polled wanted the policy to be maintained.

Only 32 per cent of those polled wanted the English policy to be reversed, while nine per cent were undecided.

The polling house also asked Malaysians their opinions on the move the limit the number of subjects in the SPM examinations to just ten, 58 per cent of Malaysians backed the proposal.

A total of 32 per cent of those polled did not agree on limiting subjects, while nine per cent were undecided.

Many people back Muhyiddin’s recent proposal to make a pass in English compulsory in the SPM examination.

Some 1,060 selected registered voters were surveyed between June 19 and July 1.

They were asked a range of questions to gauge the PM’s performance, sentiment on the country and economy and measures to liberalise the economy.

The margin of error is about +/- 3 per cent. The survey was jointly commissioned by Merdeka Centre and a research house.

But despite the evidence of the poll, those in the anti-English camps remained undeterred.

“I accept the survey outcome, but more details on the sample should be provided.

“ The results may be driven by the aggressive campaign by the government to promote the policy, and the 1060 participants do not represent the hundreds of thousands of students affected by the policy,” Abu Qassim Norazmi from Muslim students organisation PKPIM told The Malaysian Insider.

“The outcome will be different if the survey was focussed on rural areas. Such a sample composition will definitely produce such results,” Alinor Kadir, Secretary General of Malaysian Islamic Science Academy, Asasi, said when asked to comment on the poll results.

According to the methodology of the survey, 44 per cent of the respondents were classified in the rural demographic while 56 per cent were from urban areas.