Anwar Ibrahim may have been "out of action" for the past six years but he has certainly not losthis ability in working the crowd.

At a function in Ipoh last week, the consummate politician entertained the 4,000-strong audience with a slew of off-the-cuff remarks, at times peppered with colloquial Chinese.

Speaking off the cuff in Malay, Anwar touched on a number of burning issues - from vernacular languages to corruption - in his 45-minute speech.

He told the mixed crowd of largely Chinese and Malays that he disagreed with teaching Mathematics and Science in English as the policy will change the character of vernacular schools.

"As long as Bahasa Melayu is taught well in these schools, we don't have to change the character of Chinese schools," he said.

The former deputy premier stressed that as the Chinese will defend their mother tongue, he as a Malay will defend his own mother tongue too.

Speak good Malay

"Issue about Bahasa Melayu, I am very firm and no compromise. All Malaysians, be they Malay, Chinese or Indian should speak good Malay," he stressed.

"But Chinese schools should be allowed to teach Chinese. I think this is their right and we must support it," he added.

He noted the criticism against him when he called on all Chinese schools to teach Malay when he was Education Minister during the 1980s.

"If students in Chinese schools today can speak Malay so well, then what's the problem of using Chinese in all subjects?", he asked.

He said although he agreed with the importance of English in the era of globalisation, the policy (of teaching Maths and Science in English) would not help to improve the standard of English.

"But why must English be used to teach Maths and Science? Do you mean to say that when you use Chinese, you cannot be a scientist and send rocket to the moon?" he tried to reason.

More trained teachers

In order to improve the standard of English, Anwar said there was the need to train good English teachers.

"Train good English teachers for our schools. Please let the education minister know about this," he said.

Anwar stressed that the people should be given the freedom to study their mother tongue, with English being emphasised at the same time.

"The more important things is to ensure quality education, and this should be seen as a general standard," he said.

The government implemented the teaching of Science and Maths in English last January amidst much protest , especially from Chinese and Tamil educationists.