BENTONG, Jan 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Malaysians to put an end to the prolonged bickering over language issues and refocus on building a more competitive and united future for the nation’s children.

He said the government’s multilingual education approach is not intended to undermine the status of Bahasa Melayu as the national and official language, but rather to strengthen national unity and provide all students with equal opportunities to master multiple languages.

According to him, the ability to speak more than one language is an important asset in facing global challenges and enhancing the competitiveness of young generations, without compromising the country’s national identity.

“We no longer want endless inter-ethnic disputes over language. Our priority is to improve the quality of life and secure the future of our children.

“They need to be ready to compete for work not only within the country, but across Asia and globally. That is why language, science, mathematics, digital skills and artificial intelligence (AI) must be mastered from the early stages of schooling,” he said.

He said this at a gathering with the Chinese community at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Perting here today. Also present were Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman.

Anwar said efforts to improve education quality should be seen as a national agenda that transcends ethnic differences, with all parties focusing on school improvements, teacher training and the provision of adequate facilities.

He also said that any differences of opinion regarding education can be discussed maturely, but the main focus should not stray from the goal of making education a unifying tool and a driver of national progress.

Anwar also announced the approval of RM13.5 million in funding for the implementation of improvement projects and additional facilities at SJKC Perting, with RM300,000 approved immediately to allow preliminary work to begin.

He said the allocation is part of preparations for the voluntary entry of five-year-olds into preschool and six-year-olds into Year One starting next year.

“I hope all parties — school administrators, teachers, parents and the local community — continue to support this school so it can serve as an example for other schools,” he said.

The allocation is intended to build an additional six-classroom block for the Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) and one classroom for the Integrated Preschool at SJKC Perting. — Bernama