Pinyin news

Plans to have primary and secondary students in Malaysia use only English in their exams for science and mathmatics have been put on hold. Instead, the government’s current policy of allowing students to answer in English, Bahasa Malaysia, or the language of their school (such as “Chinese” or Tamil) will remain in force for at least a few more years, Malaysian Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced earlier this week.

The teaching of science and math in English has been phased in over several years.

Hishammuddin said secondary students would also continue to have the dual-language option although many of them have a “decent command” of English.

He said the weak students were mostly from the rural areas.

“I will not do things on an ad hoc and piecemeal basis. I want to do it (using English) as a whole.

“I want the foundation to be solid (at the primary level) before we look at the secondary schools,” he said.

He added, however, that many secondary students chose to do the papers in English.

Citing matriculation students, he said 95% of them did their papers in English.

sources:

• Hisham: Exams to remain bilingual, the Star, October 31, 2007
• ‘English only’ ruling for Maths and Science in secondary schools put on hold, the Star, October 29, 2007

see also teaching in English in Malaysia, Pinyin News, February 3, 2006

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Malaysia’s National Registration Department has compiled a list of personal names deemed “unsuitable.” Parents will be blocked from having their children registered under these names. Among the groups contributing to the compilation of the list are the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia, the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, and the Universiti Malaya Tamil Language Association.

Parents will be prevented from bestowing upon their children specific names in a variety of languages (including Cantonese and Hoklo/Hokkien/Taiwanese). In addition, entire categories of names — such as the names of animals, colors, fruits, and vegetables — will also be blocked. Numbers and initials are also to be denied approval.

According to Jainisah Mohd Noor, a spokeswoman for the National Registration Department, parents who insisted upon using a name on this list could appeal to the department.

“We can only advise them, but if they are insistent even after knowing they are unsuitable, they may be allowed to use them,” Jainisah said.

I haven’t been able to find a copy of the list. Perhaps it’s on the National Registration Department’s Web site; but that’s only in Malay.

Here are some “unsuitable” names from Sinitic languages, as given in the news stories below. I’m just copying these from the news stories listed below, so don’t blame me for the romanizations.

• Ah Kow (dog)
• Ah Gong (unsound mind)
• Chai Too (pig)
• Kai Chai (chick)
• Sum Seng (gangster)
• Ah Chwar (snake)
• Khiow Khoo (hunchback)
• Chow Tow (smelly head)
• Sor Chai (insane)

Here are some forbidden names from other languages:

• Zaniah (female adulterer)
• Zani (male adulterer)
• Woti (sexual intercourse)
• Karruppan (black fellow)
• Sivappi (fair)
• Vellayan (fair)
• Amma-kannu (mother’s eye)
• Batu Malai (stone hill)

You will also have to prove your lineage if you want your child to carry the prefix Ungku, Engku, Ku, Syed or Syarifah to your name.

Names with officials titles such as Tun, Tan Sri or Dato’ Wira Jaya, Haji, Nabi, Rasul, Guru, Ustaz and Hakim are also out.

• Malaysia outlaws unsuitable names, BBC, July 30, 2006
• What if your name sounds like ‘waiting to use toilet’?, New Straits Times, July 31, 2006
• NRD draws up list of unsuitable names, AFP, July 30, 2006
• Sorry, no more Zani, Ah Kow or Batumalai, New Straits Times, July 30, 2006

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