Barisan Nasional Chinese-based component parties like Gerakan and MCA have always toed the line set by Umno.

For Gerakan to therefore declare its opposition to the government's proposal to use English in the teaching of Science and Maths must have been politically untenable at its grassroots levels and their powerful lobbyists and patrons, i.e. the Chinese educationists.

MCA and other Chinese-based parties are likely to follow suit. The Umno-led government should not bulldoze this switch against widespread opposition.

Now more than ever, the BN would require the solid support of its Chinese-based component parties in the run up to the next general election. Politically, it would be unwise to alienate certain segments of Chinese voters, guilds and patrons as they may choose to support PAS instead in exchange for its support of their cause against the government's switch by force.

The other fear of Chinese educationists is that the switch will be a harbinger in the eventual unraveling of the Chinese curriculum and medium of instruction, which are vehicles for the inculcation of Chinese cultural values and heritage.

There could also be an economic motive. Some Chinese educationists are involved in the publication and distribution of Chinese textbooks and their pockets will be affected by a full-blown reversal policy from mother tongue to English.

The complication here is that the selfish reasons grounded on political support, cultural chauvinism or hubris and economic considerations as stated above can all be camouflaged on an educational basis — that also happens to be valid justification.

The argument on educational ground — that before fundamentals of Science and Maths may be grasped at primary level, there must first be undivided attention in the mastering of one main medium of instruction, without confusion of two, and that otherwise the learning of Science and Maths may be adversely affected without compensating advantage of any significant improvement in English — is both persuasive and cogent.

As a political consideration, Umno supreme council member, Shahrir Abdul Samad is right that if vernacular schools are exempted from the national language policy of conducting their lessons in the national language, there is no reason to now force them to use English for Science and Maths, which will be seen as an abrogation of their pre-existing rights to teach most subjects in the mother tongue.

The government's intention to promote English is 100 percent right but it is doing it in a half-hearted and misguided way.

For a command of a language to be absolute, there must be complete commitment and emersion in and usage of it. There cannot be half-hearted measures — part commitment, part cultural and racial hubris.

If the government is genuine in wanting to reverse its bungled educational policies and rectify their glaring shortcomings, it should have the political will to implement English as medium of instruction for most subjects in national primary schools and not confine it to just Science and Maths.

The government should leave vernacular schools alone as a choice for parents.

For those who prefer their children to master the international lingua franca of English they can send their children to national schools with their principal medium of instruction, English.

For those who care more for their community's cultural values, well, they can send their children to vernacular schools and try to balance the neglect of English there by tuition and supplement with other means after school. This is not that difficult when English is prevalent in TV, media and the Internet.

English as a medium of instruction was the way it used to be for the older generation who are now in their late 40s. They have benefitted from it and they also likely did not experience any racial polarisation.

This older generation would have preferred not to send their children to Chinese vernacular schools if they had a choice in sending them to the national schools if English is the medium of instruction. Resuming English as medium of instruction in national schools will attract a more multi-racial composition.

For a start in re-emphasising the importance of English, it is also time to reconsider making a switch in our courts to go back to proceedings in English. The law is basically English and translations are difficult and cumbersome.