PETALING JAYA: Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin finds time to learn Mandarin for the past eight months.

He is on his way to sit for HSK test, a proficiency test for non-native speakers soon after delivering an impressive result in the mock test.

Khairy’s Chinese teacher Kent Ng Kun Kwan, founder of the KunKwan International Mandarin Training Centre, could not help but utter a “Wow” when he saw Khairy’s scores in the mock test.

Ng praises the former minister for his commitment in learning a new language.

In an interview with Sin Chew Daily, Ng shared that he first noticed Khairy’s interest in learning the language during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Khairy recorded a video explaining the vaccine to the Malaysian Chinese in Mandarin.

“I admire his commitment in learning Mandarin despite his busy schedule as a minister,’’ said Ng, adding that Khairy has proven age and background are not barriers to learn Mandarin.

At that time, Khairy was the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, and he used his social media platforms to encourage Chinese Malaysians to get vaccinated – in Mandarin.

Ng shared that once Khairy officially began taking Mandarin lessons, he set clear goals and understood how learning an additional language could enhance his edge as a public figure.

“Despite his busy schedule, he insists on attending classes weekly. Language learning requires a lot of practice, so we arrange review sessions regularly,” he said.

In preparing for the HSK exam, Khairy’s biggest challenge was listening skills. At first, he found it difficult to adapt to the pace and accents. However, with continuous practice, he made significant progress.

Ng revealed that Khairy’s children are currently learning Chinese in an international school, and Khairy hopes to communicate with them in Chinese and assist in their learning.

“Khairy is frequently invited to speak at Chinese associations and events in China, so he speaks some Mandarin in his speeches. He also believes that, as China is a major global economic power, mastering Chinese is an advantage,” said Ng.

As a former minister, a radio presenter and a podcaster, Ng said Khairy is one of the role models for others in his determination to learn Mandarin.

“Khairy made it to the final class of the beginner level – a rare feat. No matter how busy he is, he would still set aside at least two hours for study,” said Ng.

Ng looks forward to Khairy continuing to shine in the upcoming official HSK exam.