DPM: Decision on PPSMI is final

The matter is closed. PPSMI is not here anymore, says Muhyiddin Yassin

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today that the government’s decision to abolish the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) is final.

“The matter is closed. I can say that as of this year, PPSMI is not here anymore; we have started a new policy. Maybe people have misunderstood, we’re now actually looking at the beginning of the soft-landing of the MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language, Strengthening the English Language) policy,” he said in a briefing for teachers at the English Language Training Project ceremony here.

“It’s final. Period,” Muhyiddin said, adding that he would be explaining this in more detail tomorrow to finally put the matter to rest. “As far as the government is concerned, we want to rest (regarding this issue).”

Asked if it was still too late to reconsider, Muhyiddin said: “It’s already been decided in 2009. Maybe like (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad said, ‘Malaysians mudah lupa (easily forget)’. It was tabled and passed two years ago. I don’t know why now it is being brought up again.

“Maybe they don’t know; PAGE (Parents Action Group for Education) doesn’t know; they only know how to demand. They are ketinggalan zaman (left out in time), two years behind time. Why are you talking about reversing it when it is already decided?”

However, Muhyiddin did not say whether the government was open to giving parents an option to choose between PPSMI or teaching the subjects in Malay as PPSMI lobby group PAGE has requested.