By Sharifah Nur Fatimah Alhadi binti Syed Md Nasser
Being able to talk comfortably with people despite cultural differences might be something mainstream to most people, but that is not the case for some Malaysians.
The thought of having to give directions to a random foreigner who is lost in the street is already frightening, especially for those who are struggling to converse in English.
According to Dr. Gerard Louis, a counselling psychologist and former principal of HELP International School, non-native speakers ability and confidence to speak English is a problem not just among Malaysians but also most non-native speakers globally.
The term used is œForeign Language Anxiety (FLA), or œxenoglossophobia, which is developed from a complexity of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings and behaviours related to the process of learning a foreign language.
Communication apprehension or a kind of shyness shown as dread or anxiety about communicating with others is one of FLAs features. Part of this dread or anxiety stems from earlier experiences of being ridiculed for speaking the œwrong thing.
Presently, Malaysia has become a centre of education in the Asian region due to its affordable and quality education for international students. Malaysias prosperous cultural diversity is something international students look for and benefit from.
Although the locals and foreigners have been living in harmony for decades, intercultural communication can be challenging, particularly with each groups diversified cultural and communication systems, misunderstandings, ignorance, misinterpretations, and misperceptions of other groups cultures.
Consequently, frustrations and conflicts may occur among them. Therefore, intercultural communication is essential for people who live in a pluralistic country like Malaysia. It enables people to achieve desired ambitions, accomplishes tasks, and, most importantly, form healthy relationships.
Based on the data collected, intercultural communication apprehension is mainly due to the discomfort and insecurity people are experiencing while interacting with others who may seem physically ˜different.
This is proven true because cultural backgrounds and communication styles are more likely to influence the way people interact, especially in comprehending meanings and the environment.
Moreover, intercultural communication has become significantly more crucial due to globalisation and more multicultural work contexts.
The cultural intelligence and cross-cultural communication abilities that come from studying in a foreign nation are also intensely sought after by companies that wish to acquire a competitive edge in the overseas business marketplaces.
As a result, Malaysian graduates might face low employability skills in the future. Nevertheless, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), being a premier international university with the most international undergraduate and postgraduate students in Malaysia, offers a different experience to their students.
By studying here, students will be able to establish friendships with foreigners from many countries such as Saudi Arabia, Sudan, China, Egypt, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Turkey. This will eventually give them more exposure, enhance their intercultural communication skills, and build confidence.
Furthermore, the university requires language upgrading for English and Arabic, which allow students to develop their English language competency that is highly needed nowadays to find jobs. What is more, students will also have an edge in Arabic.
Similar to their theme song, œLeading The Way, IIUM promises a wonderful and valuable experience that one would never get in other institutions. Every year, there will be a grand event that promotes the United Nations image, called the Global Ummatic Festival.
This festival aims to introduce the IIUM community to the diverse cultures of international students and allow international and Malaysian students to share ideas and conventions.
The festival consists of a series of integrated programmes to promote, consolidate, and improve relationships between students and staff in general.
Subsequently, intercultural communication apprehension can be avoided as students understand and respect the differences of each culture.
Despite the seeming uniting effects of globalism and the ubiquitous usage of English, the world is nonetheless a considerably diversified place. All people are proud of their language, tradition and culture.
Ultimately, no matter the degree of influence culture may have on communication, a nation’s development may be increased by excellent intercultural communication between the people around the world.***
(This article is written as part of feature writing exercise for Corporate Writing class)