Malaysia’s Dual Language Programme: a quest for equilibrium between globalization and national identity

While English Medium Instruction is seen as a bridge to the globalized world, its adverse effect on local or national identity has attracted scholarly attention. This tension is apparent in the history of Malaysia's language policy and planning between Bahasa Malaysia (the national language) and English. The introduction of English Medium Instruction as the Dual Language Programme shows that the tension remains prevalent. The insistence on English Medium Instruction raises the question of how the program is contextualized at the policy level. To address the question, this study employs grounded theory with an inductive approach and analyzes seven national educational policies and documents relevant to the Dual Language Programme. This study utilizes Bourdieu's concepts of social, cultural, economic, and linguistic capital as a theoretical framework. The analysis finds that 'English' in the Dual Language Programme is portrayed as producing forms of capital that potentially contribute to the nation's economic growth, and an individual's employability and marketability globally. Additionally, Bahasa Malaysia reflects social, linguistic, and cultural capital as a language that signifies the national identity. However, it also reveals that minority languages are assigned no capital in Malaysia. This study concludes with recommendations for future English Medium Instruction research and practices.