Perception of Academic Staff towards Malay Language Ability to Function as Primary Medium of Instruction in Higher Learning Institutions

The study looked at academic staff perception towards the ability of Malay language to function as the medium of instruction in science and technology in Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). Apart from that, the focus of the study includes an analysis of the use of Malay language as the medium of teaching and learning in the aforementioned fields. Overall, this study is based on not only language policy changes in IHL (1993) that focuses on the use of English as the main medium of instruction, especially in the field of science and technology; but also as a result of weak implementation of Education Act (1996) in private IHL whereby English is primarily used as medium of instruction. Government policy changes are made due to the belief that the use of English will accelerate the development of science and technology in the country. This study uses the questionnaire. The study found that academic staffs were confident with the ability of Malay language to function as a medium of knowledge in science and technology in learning. Nevertheless, this confidence can not be interpreted in the process of teaching and learning. This is due to the fact that language of instruction at tertiary level is English. Implications of this study Malay able be the main medium of learning science based on high confidence by academic staff in the country. In other words ,the Education Act 1996 can be effectively enforced if the government and top management at each university is to focus on upholding the Malay language as the main knowledge language.