Actually, the whole idea behind the move to teach Science and Maths in English is just so the politicians can feel justified in siphoning of billions of public funds - in the name of improving English - for their crony companies selling computers, laptops, big screen displays, printers etc.

Don't you know that the biggest budget every year is for education? Improve English via teaching of maths and science? If this is true, try improving your Japanese via teaching of maths and science in Japanese. Bah! This is a sheer day light roberry of public funds.

Why not try other solutions? Here are a few.

Make English a compulsory pass at the SPM level. Kiasu parents will then find all ways to improve their children's English.

Liberalise the training of English teachers to involve the private sector - you will create more jobs, more injection of foreign capital,

Allow foreigners to participate in the setting up English language centres as well as experienced locals.

Give scholarships o those who are poor but excel in English. Tax breaks, tuition deductible expenses can also be considered.

Have more English television channels to reach out to those in the rural areas. Watching TV is one of best ways to learn languages. That is why Hokkien-speaking Penangites can speak Cantonese by following Hong Kong TV drama series.

I was from a Chinese school from rural Batu Pahat with poor facilities and amenities back in 70s. I picked up English by watching Singaporean TV programmes. I did not go for tuition but I scored a strong C3 in my 121 GCE English paper GCE.

(Those days, all subjects were already taught in Bahasa Malaysia. And mind you, then we were watching black and white TV, no Astro, no CNN, no malaysiakini, no free Sun paper.) Now we have so many hi-tech facilities in place so how come we are poorer off in English?

Are our children indulging in too much in Hong Kong TV dramas which are rude and nonsensical? Who is more extreme? Young Malaysians, wake up!