Salbrina Sharbawi and Zayani Zainal Abidin

Abstract 

Brunei upholds Melayu Islam Beraja philosophy as part of our identity, where the Malay language is highly prioritised. However, the use of the English language nowadays is prevalent in this country, especially among the new generation. The known cause of these changes is that Brunei’s education system has gone through a system shift over the years. This paper investigated the relationship between language and identity, looking specifically into the Malay Muslims in Brunei. The authors conducted research surveys on the language use and preference of 830 people of various ages. To see the link between education policy and preferred language, they grouped the respondents into three different systems of education – Pre-Bilingual Education System (the earliest education system), Bilingual Education System (BES), which used a combination of both Malay and English language, and the current education system which is the Sistem Pendidikan Negara Abad Ke-21 (SPN21) which emphasise the usage of English. There was a proven link between the education system and the language used. While all claimed Malay as their first language, most preferred to converse in both languages. English as the preferred colloquial language and as the first language has also increased, especially among the young generation. The prevalent use of English raised questions on its effects on Brunei’s identity.  

Keywords: Language, Identity, Education, Brunei Education System 

References

 

Australia Research Council 2014, Bahasa jiwa bangsa*—Language is the soul of a nation, ARCHway, viewed 19 December 2020, https://w.ww.arc.gov.au/news-publications/media/feature-articles/bahasa-jiwa-bangsa-language-soul-nation 


Azlan, O., ‘Perintah wajib pendidikan agama’, Borneo Bulletin, 2 January 2013.
 


Clynes, A., ‘Brunei Malay: An overview,’ Occasional Papers in Language Studies, (7), 2001, pp. 11-43.
  


Clynes, A., & Deterding, D.,
 ‘Standard Malay (Brunei),’ Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 41(2), 2011, pp. 259-268. 


Deterding, D., & Ishamina, A., ‘Brunei Malay,’ Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 47(1), 2017, pp. 99-108. 
 


English in Brunei. ‘english_in_brunei’ [Instagram]. 19 December (2020). Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI9nwnPBZ8D/
 


English in Brunei. ‘english_in_brunei’ [Instagram]. 18 December 2020. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI8Mi9sBQtG/
 


Government of Brunei, ‘Undang2 Taraf Kebangsaan Brunei. Undang2 No. 4’.  In Surat2 Perlembagaan Negeri Brunei. Kuala Belait: Government Printer, 1961, pp. 115-135 (Brunei Nationality Act, No. 4, in Constitutional Letters of the State of Brunei).
 


Asmah, H.O., ‘Bilingualism and biculturalism,’ Conference on Bilingualism and National Development, Brunei, 9-12 December 1991. 
 


Haji-Othman, N.O., ‘
Bilingual Education Revisited: The Role of Ugama Schools in the Spread of Bilingualism’, in Haji-Othman, N.O., McLellan, J., & Deterding, D. (eds.) The use and status of language in Brunei Darussalam: A kingdom of unexpected linguistic diversity. Singapore: Springer, 2016, pp. 253-265. 


Haji-Othman, N. A., ‘It’s not always English: Duelling aunties in Brunei Darussalam,’ in Rapatahana, V., & Bunce, P. (eds.) English language as hydra: Its impacts on non-English language cultures. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2012, pp. 175-190.
 


Haji-Othman, N.O., McLellan, J., & Deterding, D., The use and status of language in Brunei Darussalam: A kingdom of unexpected linguistic diversity. Singapore: Springer. 2016.
 


Hill, G., ‘English in Brunei: Second language or foreign language?’, World Language English, 1(4), (1982), pp. 240-242.
 


Hornbill Unleashed,
 2015, Which should it be? Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu?. Available at: <https://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2015/08/12/which-should-it-be-bahasa-malaysia-or-bahasa-melayu/> [Accessed 21 December 2020]. 


Ishak, M. M., ‘Managing ethnicity and constructing the ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ (A United Malaysian Nation),’ Malaysian Management Journal, 6(1&2), 2002, pp. 99-115.
 


Jones, G. M., ‘Policy and practice in the use of English in Brunei primary school classes’, World Englishes,35(4), 2016, pp. 509-518.
 


Jones, G.M., Martin, P.W., & Ożóg, C. K., ‘Multilingualism and bilingual education in Brunei Darussalam’, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 14(1), 1993, pp. 39-58.
 


Joseph, J. E., Language and identity: National, ethnic, religious. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 2004
 


Kumpoh,
 A. A. Z. A., Wahsalfelah, S. N., & Haji-Othman, N. O., Socio-cultural dynamics in Bruneian society,’ in Comparative studies in ASEAN cultures and societies. Bangkok: National Institute of Development Administration, ASEAN and Asia Studies Center, 2017, pp. 1-44 


López, C. C., ‘Language is the soul of the nation: Language, education, identity, and national unity in Malaysia,’ Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 13(3), 2014, pp. 217-223.
  


Malay in Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia, of which the standardised Bahasa Melayu of Brunei would be more similar to. 
 


Martin, P. W., ‘Brunei Malay and Bahasa Melayu: A sociolinguistic perspective,’ 
in Martin, P. W., Ożóg, C., & Poedjosoedarmo, G. (eds.) Language use and language change in Brunei. Athens: Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1996, pp. 27-36.    


Muhammad Hadi, M.M. 2017, MIB, living foundation of every Bruneian. MTMIB. Available at: 
https://mtmib.moe.gov.bn/mib-living-foundation-of-every-bruneian/ [Accessed 21 December 2020]  


Ożóg, C., ‘The unplanned use of English’
, in Martin, P. W., Ożóg, C., & Poedjosoedarmo, G. (eds.) Language use and language change in Brunei. Athens: Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1996, pp. 156-172.    


Salbrina, S., ‘An English-centric monolingual Brunei? Predictions and reality,’ Asian Englishes, 2(3), (2020). pp. 257-281.
 


Salbrina, S., & Hasharina, H. (forthcoming) ‘The Malays of Brunei: An investigation of their family language policies’.
 


Salbrina, S., & Jaidin, J. H., ‘Brunei’s SPN21 English language-in-education policy: A macro-to-micro evaluation’, Current Issues in Language Planning, 21(2), 2019, pp. 175-201.
 


The National Education System for the 21st Century 2013
, 2nd edn. Brunei Darussalam: Ministry of Education