English-setting standards?

English seems to be the "international language,no doubt-thanks to British imprealism and their love for their language.But surprisingly English is not the widely spoken language in the world inspite of it being the language that is widely "used".Though I love the language and appreciate the role that it plays,I can't stop wondering WHY-especially in malaysia-English is often used as a yardstick To measure one's intelligence and standard.This scene might be familiar to many- you step into a happening place-(okay so you want some examples?Say a pizza hut,midvalley,KLCC,starbucks and the likes...) and if you were to query an attender,you tend to start off in English or more than you do,the attender starts off in English.I am not able to find a reason for this 'strange' behaviour of us (unless we always speak in english?) Now..now..don't think I am against english or something.Its just that,we as malaysians, different cultures and different languages should be proud of their mother-tongue.*sigh*
but these question did occur in my mind for quite sometime:-
A)Is it that we see ourselves on a higher pedestal when speaking in English?
B) or is it that we feel low speaking in our mother tongue?
C)or we feel its only appropriate that we speak in English at such places?

The point I am trying to make here is -I am not the one to raise this issue against English.Infact good knowledge of English might take you places but at the sametime why should I feel low of my mother tongue?I am not sure about other countries, but i find the magnitude of this feeling to be quite high in Malaysia.,where people feel low to talk in their mother tongue.They would even go atlenghts to show their prowess in other languages but not in their mother tongue.Why?Can't seem to find an answer yet....but If you ask me ,I would say you should know how to speak both languages,as in English language and also your mother tongue! And i don't know how it all started?