- You are here
- Events
| The Latest Event |
|---|
Outsourcing Malaysia Event 2010 |
| Free admission with limited seats. For Outsourcing Malaysia Event 2010 registration form, please download. |
 |
MEDAN FAIR 2010 |
| Borang penyertaan Pekan Raya Sumatera Utara (Medan Fair 2010) Ke-39.download. |
| Publication | investPenang E-Zine |
|---|
- E-Zine March 2010 (PUB)  |
| - E-Zine February 2010 (PDF) |
| - E-Zine Jan 2010 (PDF) |
Sidek: Mastering English vital for economic survival
March 19, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians, including civil servants, must be proficient in English to seize opportunities for future economic survival, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan.
Mastering the language was vital because China had been predicted to be the world’s number one English-speaking country within 10 years, he said.
“As English will remain the global lingua franca for centuries to come, we must emphasise proficiency for communication, negotiation and articulation purposes.
“For example, proficiency in English is vital when negotiating FTAs (Free Trade Agreement),” he said after presenting a keynote address at the 11th National Human Resources Summit here yesterday.
Sidek also stressed that mastering English would not make a person less patriotic.
“In fact, we will be more patriotic if we can master English and use it to get the best deal for our country,” he said, noting that a survey in India showed that 100% of its college graduates could speak English.
Earlier in his keynote address on “Building Empowered Organisations: A Case for Malaysia”, he said students must be prepared for jobs and technologies that had yet to exist.
“We need to think 27th century today,” he said.
He added that equality and equitability were crucial in creating empowered organisations and empowered individuals, and that under 1Malaysia no one would be left out or sidelined.
Sidek also noted that only 26% of the 10.6 million working population serve in a professional or managerial capacity.
In developed countries, he said professionals made up between 35% and 50% of the working population.
“Only 80% of our workforce are educated up to upper secondary level,” he said.
Visitors Counter