I’d like to respond to the interview with Nurcholish Madjid in TEMPO edition 14-20 August 2000. In the interview, it was mentioned as if there was a difference in the use of language in Malaysia. I think the statement is wrong. In Malaysia there is no gap in the use of language, as in Indonesia.

Indeed, many educated Malaysians use English. The use, however, is simply because they want to be perceived as Singaporeans who come to Malaysia.