English language proficiency among government servants / Farrah Huda Khalid and Nur Amalina Khairul Anwar

This study is aimed to find out whether the employees from the government sector have the right standard of English language proficiency in order to improve their job performance. Apart from that, this study will identify whether the education background gained from the employees will provide adequate English communication skills among the employees. The focus is to find out whether lack of English communication skills will contribute to poor job standard of qualifications in the government sector and it is hoped that the findings would help the ministry in modifying the proper standard in the workforce of the government sector. It is hoped that this feedback will be useful for the policy planners and the government job requirements in coming up with skillful government servants communicating in English.
The speedy blooming of Information Technology and globalization has made English proficiency as a crucial element in most countries in the world especially the developing countries. Foreign investors appear to prefer English speaking countries for business purposes. Malaysia is known as one of the developing countries that produces many natural resources such as rubber, tin and petroleum. In response to these advantages, the government sector especially in the area of agriculture, industrial, import and export control and tourism should emphasized on the improvement of English communication skills among the employees to cater the foreigners who have come to visit or migrating in the country. Globalization has put all nations on a competitive level and the organizations especially from the government sectors need to become more competent in hiring fluent English skilled employees. Therefore this study focuses on whether the government employees with low English fluency level are able to deliver the tasks according to the required standard.