Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants all Malaysians, especially the Malays, to learn English to keep pace with rapid development of knowledge and to avoid being re-colonised by the Western societies.

On the other hand Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is asking them to learn Mandarin because Mandarin is fast becoming the language of commerce.

What's wrong with using the national language as our tool of communication and commerce?

Do we need English or Mandarin in our downstream and rural economies? For instance a Chinese or an Indian trader going to the kampungs to buy durian and petai or besi buruk from the Malays?

Learning foreign languages should be the duty of the country's high-fliers in every sector of the economy: Leaders, academics, government officials who need to interact with foreigners, businessmen, diplomats, tourist guides and the like.

I know of so many Chinese millionaires who do not speak a word of English, or for that matter Mandarin.

On the other hand no one is screaming from rooftops that come 2020 all Malaysians, in the spirit of 1Malaysia and Malaysia Boleh, we must speak only in Bahasa Malaysia in public unless they are discussing highly technical and scientific matters.

I don't see Malay leaders asking the Malays to learn Arabic because Arabic is the language of Islam and without Arabic our learning, reciting and understanding of the Al Quran will always be impaired.

If Mahathir is worried about being re-colonised, he must be quite naive. Look at how we Malaysians speak, dress, eat, read, sing and behave today.

We have already become fake Americans or Brits. Radio DJs speak American English. Directors of Malay films and dramas feel their products would be inferior if there is no English used in them.

That's how pathetic we have become.

On the other hand, whenever a German, a Chinese, a Japanese, a Korean or a Thai politician, businessman or a scientist appears on television they only speak in their own national languages with voiceovers in English.

If we think that only English will make us a developed nation, look at Nigeria and the Philippines or even Indian and Pakistan. They are clear proof that English is no guarantee to being a developed nation.

On the other hand, the Dutch, the Belgians, the Swiss, the Swedes, the Danes, the Norwegians, the Greeks, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Italians, most of whom speak English, would never use it in their everyday life.

Finally, in all sincerity I would like to ask this question, when we have a Malay, a Chinese and an Indian of equal qualification, ability, merit and speak English, Malay and Mandarin, would they be treated equally when it comes to promotions?