Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan today related a story on how the message, and not the pronunciation of a leader's speech was what mattered.

Rahman, who is now in Algiers for an oil and gas conference, said there are many world leaders present there, including from major oil producing Arab countries.

"(They're) the sort of Arab leaders who could affect your life with their decisions.

"Despite speaking English with heavy Arab accent, when they speak, people are concentrating on their messages not their diction or pronunciation.

"A leader's stature is not judged by his diction or pronunciation, but by his conviction and proclamation," Rahman posted on his Facebook page.

His posting came two days after Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi addressed the United Nation's general assembly.

The speech had become the subject of ridicule on social media, with many panning Zahid's command of English.

Zahid however gained an unlikely defender when it comes to his English speaking skills, in the form of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) pro-tem committee member Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman.

Syed Saddiq said he was disappointed with those who ridiculed Zahid's efforts in delivering his speech in English, pointing out that the deputy prime minister had a choice to speak in Bahasa Malaysia but chose to take the more difficult route.

He also blamed the furore over Zahid's English speaking skills on schools that create a 'toxic environment' for people to learn English.