Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, said in this regard, Malaysians needed to have the right perspective on language.[Berkaitan dengan perkara ini, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, yang juga menteri pelajaran, berkata bahawa rakyat Malaysia perlu memiliki perspektif yang betul terhadap bahasa.]
"I asked my counterparts in several countries whether proficiency in English could be achieved through Science and Mathematics, and they expressed surprise. ["Saya bertanyakan rakan sejawat saya di banyak negara sama ada penguasaan bahasa Inggeris boleh dicapai menerusi mata pelajaran sains dan matematik, dan mereka terkejut."]
"I was told that in France, mastery of French is achieved through French language classes, and in Germany, German. ["Saya diberitahu, di Peranchis, penguasaan bahasa Peranchis dicapai menerusi kelas bahasa Perancis, dan di Jerman, kelas bahasa Jerman."]
"In these countries too, their people are proud of their national language and would give it precedence even if they could speak in English," he told reporters at the end of his visit to the French capital to present a keynote address at the Unesco executive board meeting. ["Di negara-negara tersebut, rakyatnya sangat bangga akan bahasa kebangsaan masing-masing dan mengutamakannya walaupun mereka boleh bertutur dalam bahasa Inggeris," katanya kepada wartawan pada akhir lawatan beliau ke ibu kota Peranchis itu untuk menyampaikan ucap utama dalam mesyuarat lembaga eksekutif UNESCO."]
Muhyiddin said he made the enquiry as the topic was presently being heavily discussed in Malaysia. [Muhyiddin berkata bahawa beliau meninjau berkenaan perkara itu kerana pada masa ini isu tersebut sedang hangat dibincangkan di tanah air.]
In Copenhagen, Denmark where Muhyiddin visited prior to Paris, he observed that the Danes were very proud of their national language. [Sebelum ke kota Paris, Muhyiddin singgah di Copenhagen, Denmark dan beliau perhatikan bahawa orang Denmark sangat bangga akan bahasa kebangsaan mereka.]
"Their pride is so overwhelming that when they see others speaking in English, they would ask 'Don't you have a national language?' They would also speak in their national language at international conferences. This is so even though they can speak in English. ["Kebanggaan mereka sangat tinggi. Apabila mereka dapati seseorang bertutur dalam bahasa Inggeris, mereka akan bertanya 'Tuan tiada bahasa kebangsaankah?' Mereka juga berucap dalam bahasa kebangsaan mereka dalam persidangan-persidangan antarabangsa walaupun mereka boleh berbahasa Inggeris."]
Muhyiddin was in Copenhagen to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference of Ministers of Education. [Muhyiddin berada di Copenhagen untuk menghadiri Mesyuarat Asia-Eropah (ASEM) Persidangan Menteri-Menteri Pelajaran.]
"At the Unesco meeting, delegates from Slovania, Russia and China spoke in their national languages. ["Dalam mesyuarat UNESCO tersebut, perwakilan Slovania, Rusia dan China berucap dalam bahasa kebangsaan masing-masing."]
"When I met the representative from China, he spoke in English, but during his speech, he spoke in Mandarin." ["Perwakilan China bercakap dalam bahasa Inggeris tatkala bertemu dengan saya, tetapi apabila berucap, beliau menggunakan bahasa Mandarin."]
Muhyiddin said this does not mean that the English language should be sidelined, rather Malaysians should be aware that they have their own national language." [Muhyiddin berkata bahawa rakyat Malaysia sewajarnya sedar bahawa mereka mempunyai bahasa kebangsaan sendiri, namun ini tidak bermakna bahasa Inggeris dipinggirkan.]