2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 13
Available Online: 10 July 2025
Author/s:
Shi, Tiffany Rachel
Nguyen, Celine
Tsui, Ann
Lai, Klara
National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Abstract:
This paper critically examines the evolution and complexities of bilingual education policies in Malaysia, focusing on three major policy frameworks: Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik Dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI), Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu, Memperkukuhkan Bahasa Inggeris (MBMMBI), and the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025 (MEB). Each policy reflects Malaysia’s efforts to reconcile national identity, linguistic diversity, and global competitiveness. PPSMI aimed to improve English proficiency through the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English but was met with strong resistance due to concerns about equity, teacher preparedness, and cultural identity. MBMMBI, introduced as a more balanced successor, emphasized both the strengthening of Bahasa Malaysia and the enhancement of English through complementary programs such as the Dual Language Programme (DLP) and the Highly Immersive Programme (HIP). The Malaysia Education Blueprint introduced broader systemic reforms, including digital integration and equity-focused strategies, but continued to face challenges related to top-down implementation, teacher recruitment, and local adaptation. The paper also offers a comparative perspective by analyzing bilingual education in Singapore and Vietnam. Singapore’s centralized and pragmatic approach has successfully elevated English as the dominant medium of instruction while preserving mother tongue education. In contrast, Vietnam’s bilingual initiatives remain limited, largely due to resource constraints and implementation gaps. Compared to these countries, Malaysia demonstrates a more pluralistic but fragmented approach, marked by frequent policy shifts and ongoing debates over linguistic and cultural priorities. The paper concludes by advocating for more inclusive and stable language planning, teacher capacity-building, and school-level autonomy to ensure the long-term success of bilingual education in Malaysia’s multilingual society.
Keywords: bilingual education policy, Malaysia education blueprint, PPSMI, MBMMBI, language and identity, comparative education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25210
Cite this article:
Shi, T. R., Nguyen, C., Tsui, A., & Lai, K. (2025). Language and identity: Bilingual education policy in Malaysian society. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(13), 105-112. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25210