My mum once shared with me, with tears in her eyes, the reason why she had to drop out of university after just one year. She was born in 1955 and is a baby boomer. She received a Chinese education in whampoa all her life till JC (otherwise known as pre-U then) and did exceptionally well. A standard that was an incredible achievement in those years when those who made it to university belong to a minority group. Much less a female student in NTU. She was a sacrificial lamb for Singapore's transition into a billingual society to survive on a global stage. A decision that Mr LKY said he was wrong in the implementation process, though stands firm in the policy. Singapore needed it to survive.
I can understand and feel the pain of why mummy is full of regrets, for making one of the most difficult decisions in her life to drop out. Imagine learning complex terms like carbon dioxide, sulphur etc. From scratch again. Memorizing them in English is already no mean feat. To have to pick up from ground zero and translate, subsequently to be graded in exams is much worse. Of course, only the fittest could survive. And unfortunately, mummy wasn't one of them.
It changed her life and she suffered for it. Her course would have been entirely different if she had graduated from university. And I might not even exist today.
However, this transition benefitted subsequent generations of Singaporeans. My sis and I grew up and benefitted from a billingual and meritocratic Singapore that Mr LKY built. He believed in a vision and never wavered. My sister and I were given equal opportunities in education and work, regardless of our social background or gender. We were rewarded as long as we worked hard to excel. For instance, going places where others can't, in our jobs with the fastest growing economy in the world. My sister was posted to Shanghai for a couple of years and I now cover China as part of my media portfolio. Today, my parents and I continue to speak in Mandarin and i have inherited from them the love for the language. I remain curious and intrigued by the deep culture and history. Esp of how 成语 and 谚语 can successfully capture an emotion or a moment that would take a few pages to articulate the essence in English, in simply a handful of characters.
I am a mother now. And I am proud to speak to my son in Mandarin and hope he becomes effectively billigual when he grows up. I have reaped countless benefits because of my own experience and I wish he could enjoy the same. Of course, my heart pains for my mum when I think of her journey. But for my own selfish reasons, I am comforted by why things turned out the way it did. Because mummy would not have met daddy otherwise. And I would not be where I am today, privileged to have a loving family. Many are way less fortunate than me.
Sadly though, I am seeing more Singaporeans who are averse to the language in my job. Acquaintances, job interviewees or even friends are "proud" to be in the "jia kandang" group. Not only do they not speak, read or understand the language, they do not want to be associated in any way. This baffles and disturbs me everyday.
Watching Mr LKY's speeches and views on bilingualism has inspired and ignited my urgent wish to keep the flame of Chinese literature burning in Singapore. I am definitely not an expert. But I am relatively eloquent and competent enough in the language to play a part.
Thank you Mr Lee. This is home, truly. Am so proud to be Singaporean.
