ENGLISH IS ESPERANTO:

Malaysians embrace English (Baradan Kuppusamy, 8/25/05, Asia Times)

English, once shunned as the language of colonialism, is now regarded as the passport to success in the modern world and is rapidly replacing Islamic studies and the sciences.

"My parents say English is the key to the future and that we have to master it," Hafsiah said after her session. "But [English] is so strange to the tongue."

Apparently, the difficulties that Malays have in competing in a rapidly globalizing world is being attributed by the older generation to their failure to master English, and even to turning their backs on the language in 1970 in a wave of nationalism.

Malays form slightly more than 50% of Malaysia's 23 million people. The economically dominant ethnic Chinese form 22% and are concentrated in the urban centers where the English language has survived better. Indians, who form another 7% of the population, are also largely urban.

The frenzy to catch up with English in rural Malaysia is more than just palpable and nowadays second only to the craze for English football and the popular "Malaysian Idol" contest, a reality-type TV show.