The prime minister said Malaysians would need to be proficient in English to master Science because in the West, the field develops and progresses through the use of the language.

“To me, mastering English in the scientific fields is extremely important as this is knowledge that is not coming from us, but rather a culture that is not ours.

“Our culture used to be such that when we are faced with problems, we blame supernatural forces and the spirits. That has been our approach. Scientists, on the other hand, try to get to the root of the problem by conducting research,” he said in an interview with online news portal The Malaya Post.

Mahathir, who is also the acting education minister, said scientists in Western nations were constantly looking for effective solutions to problems or issues through research, and would then share new findings in English.

“Everyday, they will be releasing new findings which are written in English. Of course, we are able to translate but we must be knowledgeable in the field of Science. If we fail to understand, we will not be able to do the translation,” he said.

Therefore, he was of the opinion that the matter should be accepted by all parties if they want to see the nation progress.

For the moment, he said, the government has not made any decision on the implementation of PPSMI in schools, adding that a sub-committee has been formed to review its re-implementation and a decision will be made soon.

Asked about the Sekolah Wawasan model launched under his administration in 1997, when he was the fourth premier, Mahathir said though there were difficulties during its introduction, it went on to promote solidarity among the races.

“With Sekolah Wawasan, we have three schools located in one campus. Although they speak different languages they attend the morning assembly together and play sports in a mixed team, thus allowing the children to mix with one another,” he said.