Do we want global or village champs, says Abang Jo in backing English

 

Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg said proficiency in English is important to establish a quality workforce, which in turn is crucial to safeguard the state’s future.

PETALING JAYA: 

Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg has defended the state’s emphasis on English, especially in education, saying this is crucial in preparing a future workforce that stands out globally.

He said the role of English goes beyond being a lingua franca and is a necessity due to the development of new, high-growth industries, renewable energy and its common use in all forms of sciences.

Abang Johari said having a quality workforce was crucial to Sarawak’s future, particularly in ensuring that young Sarawakians are equipped with the necessary language skills to compete globally.

“You need English … if our children are well educated (in English), then their future is bright. But if we are confined to ourselves, we become ‘syok sendiri’ (full of ourselves) and become kampung (village) champions.

Do we want kampung champions or global champions?

 he said in an episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast hosted by former Umno leaders Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.

Abang Johari, who is also the Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman, denied a suggestion by Khairy that Sarawak was trying to be a country within a country.

He said that all Sarawak wanted was for its rights to be restored according to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

With Sarawak still a member of the Malaysian federation, most taxes, such as corporate taxes, still go to the federal government’s coffers, he said.

Abang Johari also said relations between Sarawak and Putrajaya remain very 

warm

 as their cooperation has been adhering to what is enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

He nonetheless issued a warning about the dangers of 

over-centralisation

, saying regional development would be stifled when too much power is centralised.

He said this is why Sarawak has delegated the duty of development at the local level to nine regional development agencies covering the entire East Malaysian state.

The government has entrusted these nine agencies with RM1.5 billion each for them to spend on whatever they deem necessary, especially key infrastructure that is sorely needed by the local residents.

All these projects are up to them to decide. It is a bottom-up approach. If they want a road, the local people know better. That is why I believe there must be a process of decentralisation on certain parts of the economy and administration,

 he said. - FMT