English skills have not fared much better in Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos or Vietnam, although there are no shortage of government statistics and schools that would beg to differ. The pro-Mahathir faction is trying to re-invent itself by arguing that English is now the language of science and commerce and thus is acceptable for teaching in their precious government schools. At the same time, however, they still justify the relegation of English as just another subject to be taught for ethnic minorities.