The rejection by certain Umno leaders against the proposal to build more Chinese-language primary schools is indeed unfortunate and saddening. It is based more on the parochial emotionalism and Anglophile Malay nationalism of yesteryears than the new realities of today.

The Chinese language is used by more than one billion people worldwide ahead of the other four official languages of the United Nations, namely English (0.5 billion), Spanish (0.4 billion), Russian (0.25 billion)) and French (0.2 billion).

As the economies of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore continue to grow with breakneck speed, even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has found it necessary to argue that Britons should master the Chinese language.

The Chinese primary school system in Malaysia has been in existence for the past 180 years. It has accumulated more than sufficient professional skills and experience to educate Malaysian children.

Unlike some of racially exclusive institutions of higher learning fully funded by Malaysian taxpayers' money, Chinese primary schools - partially funded by voluntary contribution from the Chinese Malaysian community - are open to Malaysian children of all races, including Malays.

There are now about 65,000 non-Chinese Malaysian students studying in Chinese-medium primary schools throughout Malaysia.

An increase of Chinese primary schools would certainly help Malaysia to understand and cope with the globalising world economy which features China as the new global player in all fields.

It is time for Umno and its mouthpieces like the Utusan Malaysia to see the world as it is, not as it was.