KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — Being proficient in foreign languages does not dilute an individual’s Malaysian identity or make a person “less Malay”, former international trade minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said today.

Citing herself as one example of a Malay who speaks English well, Rafidah, known as Malaysia’s “iron lady”, said she did not become less a Malay just because she is bilingual and studied other languages in the past.

“It does not make anyone less Malaysian is he or she can communicate well in English or any other foreign language, for that matter!” said Rafidah.

“I went through my entire education being taught everything entirely in English… I did not become less Malay,” she said, adding that she had also studied the French language as a subject during her Bachelor’s degree.

A decision by the Sarawak government to make English the state’s second official language has drawn criticism from some in Putrajaya, including Social and Cultural Affairs adviser and former minister Tan Sri Rais Yatim, who claimed the move would sow discord among ethnic groups.

In Parliament, the use of the language was also hotly debated, and prompted Rais to call on MPs who wanted to speak in English to step down as MP.

Rafidah wrote today that she shudders every time someone politicises the issue like it was “political bola sepak takraw”, particularly by politicians with a penchant for playing the race card.

She pointed out that no one ever questioned the importance of the national language, but said the key problem is that there is no effort to make Malaysians bilingual in order to compete in a regional and global environment.

“Please let us be rational and realistic about the national language. First, Bahasa Malaysia is our national language. We must be proud of it. No doubts about it.

“But we are living in a dynamic, highly competitive and knowledge-based world. Not keeping in pace will render us being left far behind. We need our young to also be competent in communicating in other languages that are relevant - English, Mandarin, Japanese,” she said.

The Umno veteran added that English is so universal that the younger generation in China, India, Thailand and Indonesia are being taught to be proficient in the language.

In Malaysia, however, leaders are still busy arguing about the sovereignty of their national language, she observed.

“We must not be so parochial about language… we must not allow narrow perceptions prevail under the guide of ‘nationalistic spirit’,” she said, adding that even Malaysian’s founding fathers negotiated the nation’s independence in English.

“We need to nurture Malaysians with global exposure and who can compete globally. Please do not jeopardise the future of our young and the future of Malaysia by continuing to make education and language political,” she said.