Managing languages in conflict situation: A special reference to the implementation of the policy on Malay and English in Malaysia

English today certainly plays a wider range of roles than before. Due to these roles and to its neutrality in not beingexclusively identified with any particular ethnic community in Malaysia, English is meant to be everyone’s languagein as much as the national language is. In real life the functions of English in Malaysia almost equal those of Malay,including the social function. This situation results from the image projected by English vis-à-vis Malay and an equaltreatment of the two languages in the implementation of the policy. The policy on the enhancement of the use of Englishhas helped to de-sensitise the feeling of the people towards English as a former colonial language, and to close theattitudinal gap between Malay and English. This pragmatism has also changed the world-view of Malaysians that only theuse of the national language would assist in nation-building