Why the Success of Bilingual Policy is Important to Us[^0]

Translated to <Chinese Version>

[...One abiding reason why we have to persist in bilingualism is that English will not be emotionally acceptable as our mother tongue. To have no emotionally acceptable language as our mother tongue is to be emotionally crippled. We shall doubt ourselves. We shall be less self-confident...] --- SM Lee Kuan Yew [^1]

 

[..."We're going to change whether we like it or not. We have a better-educated population. We are more exposed to the world than ever before," he said, adding that more Singapore students and executives are travelling abroad and coming back with new ideas. "That's going to change the base," he said. "If you take other societies, like, say Japan or China, only 1 to 2 per cent of the population can surf the Internet because their English is of that level. "We have educated the whole population in English so we have no censorship." Addressing the Japanese reporter...he said: "Your censorship is the language. You would interpret only what you think is good for the balance 98-99 per cent of the population. Ours can just go surf the net -- all portals are open."...] --- (quoted from ST report) SM Lee Kuan Yew [^2]

 

[...It is the intention of the Government, through the promotion of the bilingual education policy, to enable our people to gain access to modern science and technology through the English language and preserve their cultural roots through their mother tongue to help lighten the language-learning burden on our children...] --- Mr Ong Teng Cheong [^3]

 

The usual discussion of language, culture and identity issue in Singapore would be less contradicting and more beneficial for all if we could appreciate the importance of bilingual policy and its implications to us in nation building.

 

The following diagram (Fig.1) depicts a simplified view of language usage in Singapore and some country in the world. The circles represent various countries and the oval represents the world. The overlapped portion (marked with xx) between each circle and the oval represents the interaction between individual country and the world. In other words, it shows the fact that foreign languages will be learned and mastered by (some) citizens in each country whenever they are needed. Most country, especially those which are not multi-racial (proportionally speaking), naturally use their national or native language as first (1st) language to unite their people together.

 

The circle on the left represents the multi-racial Singapore with bilingual policy.

 

 

Our bilingual policy does not simply mean English as (first)⁺ (1st) language, mother tongue as second (2nd) language. It contains our vision to build a united multi-racial and multi-cultural nation through the use of a common language for all races, and retaining the use of mother tongues within ethnic groups (or at least in individual family). Thus in bilingual policy, it is never ambiguous that mother tongues mean ethnic languages. It is never consider as counter Singaporean vision or identity whenever the importance of mother tongues for ethnic groups and their link to cultures and values are mentioned [^3A]. With these common understandings in mind, we can take a closer look at the important implications (i.e, advantages & disadvantages) of our bilingual policy.

 

From the attached diagram, although it can be said that the globalisation (which include modernisation and industrialisation) has further enhanced English as the most learned 2nd language in the world, but it has not changed a simple fact, that is, most country have remained localise in term of language (education)⁺. Their populations are first rooted or shielded with local languages and thus with stronger and lasting influences by local cultures and values before exposing to foreign languages. This (language education)⁺ approach is more (conservative) (standard)⁺ and although it is (not suitable for us) (not use by us)⁺, but since it is practiced by most country in the world, it would be beneficial for us to understand its merit. [^4]

 

The advantage for most country to use local or native language as first language is obvious. For majority of their citizens that do not know or have just acquired basic level of foreign languages through 2nd language education, unwanted foreign influences through globalisation will be limited or superficial. For their elite and those citizens who have mastered foreign languages, they will be truly bilingual; [^5] thus foreign influences are less likely to predominate their views while helping them to see the world in another perspective. In fact as the overlapped portions of the attached diagram have suggested, citizens who are bilingual usually could act as middlemen to introduce and translate foreign knowledge, cultures and values to their local citizens. Therefore, although no country in the world will be able to avoid western influences (through globalisation) (while going through globalisation)⁺, but with stronger attachment to local language and culture, most country can maintain their uniqueness and modernise without westernise.

 

As a multi-racial nation facing numerous limitations and constraints (in survival and governance conditions)⁺, our language policy has evolved differently from others. Since 1987, English has become the 1st language and mother tongue the 2nd language in our bilingual policy. In other words, our language education is much less localise than most country (i.e. we are doing the opposite way the other countries are doing)⁺. The important implications of this differen(ce) are obvious. With English as 1st language, it can better fulfill our vision to build a united nation base(d) on justice and equality for all races. Its economic value is also important for us (as it can help us)⁺ to link and compete globally. However, on the other hand, instead of providing us a shield, (it) (the use of English as 1st language)⁺ has exposed us, the entire nation, to all kind of western influences [^6] directly and dominantly --- if we do not make any effort to balance them. Therefore the success and effectiveness of our bilingual education has become very important to us in nation building. For if we fail, we are more likely to westernise than other countries. [^7]

 

Hence the main concern is how to enhance and assist bilingual education so that we can maintain a balance of eastern and western influences for our younger and future generations. The idea to consciously promote our languages, cultures and values as a counter-balancing effort to the silent western influences on our young is therefore necessary. It is a pragmatic approach to supplement bilingual education so that more of our young will remain bilingual and culturally balance even though they are more proficient in English than mother tongues.

 

Unfortunately all the conscious promotions of eastern cultures and values are more difficult than the silent influences that our young are continuously receiving from the west (through good command of English), especially ours is a multi-racial society. Therefore most of our balancing efforts are seen by critics as negative developments to Singapore culture and identity because, in order to be fair, we have to consciously promote different ethnic cultures and values for different races. It thus seems that we are stressing ethnic differences rather than building common values for all (This is a typical example, which shows one of the limitations of using conscious promotions to counter-balance the power of silent influences. Another limitation is continuous conscious promotions will encounter fatigue effect, thus after certain point, the receiving parties may treat any such promotions as routine "lecturing" and might ignore them. Furthermore, public promotions of one's values might offend any affected parties and cause mis-understandings or resentments if not handle sensitively.) [^8].

 

But these are no contradiction, we are a multi-racial nation, preserving of ethnic languages, cultures and values is thus a natural part of our multi-racialism and multi-culturalism. They are part of Singapore culture, which form the eastern bases of our society. Therefore as far as this part of Singapore culture’s development is concern, what has been changed is that instead of silent influences that we used to (when we are more proficient in mother tongues), we are turning to more conscious promotion to ensure our young are given enough exposure to eastern cultures and values. It is not about racial hegemony or communal politic. Neither it is aim to resist western influences blindly [^9].

 

On the other hand, with the successful implementation of common language and the common experiences we continuously going through in nation building, we believe the development of Singapore culture will evolve beyond the bases of preserving our eastern cultures and values. New social, cultural and political ingredients will be developed and added gradually to enrich and expand our multi-culturalism. They will form and strengthen the localise bonds and identity of our society.

 

Our language policy may look odd to foreigners, but it is as important as theirs is in nation building. It has provided us a constructive framework to preserve and enrich our multi-culturalism so that the new Singapore culture will emerge from it. Therefore as long as the bilingual vision we have for Singapore prevail (can prevail and materialise)⁺, the "less localise nature" of our language policy will not turn us into another "red dot" on the map (in Asia) [^10].

 

Postscript: Some history of this article [^11]

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以下为本文的注解(Ref):

• [^0]
  上网日期Posted: 27/Sep9月/2000(9月27号) --- 更新日期Updated: 11/Feb2月/2001(2月11号), 25/Sep9月/2024(9月25号) --- 草稿Draft: (原稿dd/12/1998) (发稿07/01/1999, [x]) (修稿27/09/2000) (ChangedTo改成HTML5版本, AddedRef添加注解[^0],[^3A],[^11], TranslatedToChinese翻译成中文, 03-25/09/2024)
  
  From 03-25/Sep/2024, had translated the English article that I have put online since 27/Sep/2000 into Chinese using Google Translate and Mircosoft Copilot. The diagram (Fig 1) in the English version was also translated into Chinese. During the translation, some minor changes were also made to the English artice, the changes were denoted by (deleted删除) and (added添加)⁺ symbols. The diagram (Fig 1) was also slightly edited.
  
  
  
• [^1]
  Ref: Book, <<华人 华语 华文 Mandarin: The Chinese Connection>>
  Published By: Promote Mandarin Council
  Call Number: Lee Kong Chian Reference Library Level 9, 306.4495957 MAN
  
  Pg 164 --- SM Lee Kuan Yew
  [...One abiding reason why we have to persist in bilingualism is that English will not be emotionally acceptable as our mother tongue. To have no emotionally acceptable language as our mother tongue is to be emotionally crippled. We shall doubt ourselves. We shall be less self-confident...]
  
  
  
• [^2]
  From Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's answer to a question on political changes (such as the introduction of Speakers' Corner) raised by a Japanese reporter. For more detail, please refer to: The Straits Times (15/Sep/2000, pg 61) <<SM LEE'S PRESS CONFERENCE ON HIS MEMOIRS>>
  
  [..."We're going to change whether we like it or not. We have a better-educated population. We are more exposed to the world than ever before," he said, adding that more Singapore students and executives are travelling abroad and coming back with new ideas. "That's going to change the base," he said. "If you take other societies, like, say Japan or China, only 1 to 2 per cent of the population can surf the Internet because their English is of that level. "We have educated the whole population in English so we have no censorship." Addressing the Japanese reporter...he said: "Your censorship is the language. You would interpret only what you think is good for the balance 98-99 per cent of the population. Ours can just go surf the net -- all portals are open."...]
  
  
  
• [^3] [^3A]
  Ref: Book, Same as [^1]
  
  Pg 165 --- Former Elected President, Mr Ong Teng Cheong.
  [...It is the intention of the Government, through the promotion of the bilingual education policy, to enable our people to gain access to modern science and technology through the English language and preserve their cultural roots through their mother tongue to help lighten the language-learning burden on our children...]
  
  
  
• [^4]
  As most country understand the benefits of using English to communicate with the rest of the world and to enhance their competitive advantage, therefore they are likely to incorporate English as the second language in their education. And as usual, only a certain percentage of their populations who can cope with and need to use two languages will become truly bilingual, majority of their populations will acquire basic level of English. This is a pragmatic approach in the globalised world for most country.
  
  
  
• [^5]
  Ref: Book, Same as [^1]
  
  Pg 14 --- Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong.
  [... If you go to Taiwan, you will find that the people at the top are effectively bilingual in English and Mandarin. They can switch in and out. It is a high level of proficiency...]
  
  An important question to ask is whether under our bilingual education, do majority of our elite acquire high level of bilingual literacy? It is believed that the more elite and people we have are effectively bilingual, the more likely the bilingual vision we have for Singapore will success.
  
  
  
• [^6]
  Probably most western influences are likely to come from USA. And with these influences, a point to ponder upon is that besides new immigrants, most Americans are basically mono-lingual since they need not learn others' languages, will this affect how they view the world and in turn influenced the rest to see the world in that perspective?
  
  
  
• [^7]
  Ref: Book, Same as [^1]
  
  Pg 168 --- Deputy PM, BG Lee Hsien Loong.
  [...As we become a modern industrial economy, we must not lose our cultural heritage, and become a pseudo-Western society. Language has a considerable part to play. Knowledge of the mother tongue gives us a much stronger sense of identity and belonging...]
  
  
  
• [^8]
  Sometimes those who felt offended might voice their views in newspaper's forum page. The following is one example from Straits Times and the responses from two other readers.
  
  

  Hypocritical to condone racism against Caucasians I REFER to the letter, ""Revive religious faith among young to check moral decline'' (ST, Oct 30). I make no comment on the writer's views regarding religion, as that is not the concern of this letter. But he made some remarks against Caucasians that were both racist and insulting. I have lived and worked here for five years, and comments such as ""we are fighting a losing battle against the onslaught of decadent Western values'' are, quite frankly, offensive. Now, the debate about ""Asian/Western'' values has had copious amounts written about it, and it is a tired old horse, so let us leave it in the stable. I simply wish to state that when someone in Australia makes bigoted, ignorant, simplistic and racist remarks, that person is labelled correctly as an ignorant racist. One such example was Ms Pauline Hanson. When she made remarks against Asians, she was justly vilified throughout Asia, and also by the vast majority of Australians. From the earlier quotation, one can infer that in the writer's eyes, Westerners (ie. Caucasians) are morally bankrupt, decadent and in some way inferior to Asians. This is known as racial stereotyping. Why is it then that bigoted remarks against Caucasians are regarded as decent and acceptable here? The answer: gross hypocrisy. John A. Douglas  (ST 01/Nov/2000, Forum Page)

  West has to be sensitive to Asians too THANK you, Mr John Douglas, for reminding us of how we can be more sensitive culturally to the West, ("Hypocritical to condone racism against Caucasians''; ST, Nov 1). On the evening before his letter was published, I opened a copy of James Clavell's book, Taipan, knowing fully well what to expect. The opening chapters described Commissioner Lin Tse Hsu's blockade to force the surrender of narcotics by smugglers as an act against ""defenceless traders''. The war in 1840 was blamed on Chinese laws curtailing contact and trade with the West, written as if these were ample justification for war, then and even now. Not a word about the moral reprehensibility of the narcotics trade, nor the superciliousness then affected by Caucasians when dealing with Asians. Indeed, there was not, on the shelves, a Western work of fiction set in historical or contemporary Asia which did not purvey slanted, bigoted and stereotypical views of Asia and Asians. To dismiss these works as pulp fiction skirts the question: ""What does it say about Western receptiveness towards such views that they should become mainstream in the Western popular media?'' Mr Douglas finds negative Asian references to Western ""values'' sweeping and offensive. His solace is in being able to empathise with those Asians who are offended through daily contact with the Western media. Wong Hoong Hooi   (ST 02/Nov/2000, Forum Page)

  Foolish to over-react to remarks against Western values I THINK Mr John Douglas (""Hypocritical to condone racism against Caucasians''; ST, Nov 1) over-reacted to the term ""decadent Western values''. If those who bandy this term about, like I do occasionally, understand that some Western values are actually good, moral, honourable and supportive of the family, then no offence should be taken. Some Singaporeans may be surprised to learn that for most of its history, the US was a strictly moral society, and that its colonial founders held to standards enforced by law that would have made Singapore in the 1970s, in comparison, look like Las Vegas. But those are not the values being projected to the world through Hollywood. Similarly, there are decadent Asian values too. But the suppression of these ""values'' and the adoption of the better Asian values helped most of East Asia develop. I believe the writer Mr Douglas was responding to was correct to stress the need for religion to strengthen the best values (whether Asian or Christian) and discourage the truly decadent Western values. It is foolish to be so sensitive to people's often-irrational feelings that we fail to identify and guard against the invasion of Hollywood's propaganda. John B. Carpenter  (ST 03/Nov/2000, Forum Page)

  
  Comment 1: A well known fact in Singapore is that our leaders and most Singaporeans have constantly stressed the importan(ce) of bilingual education and Asian values publicly since independen(ce). All these are our responses aimed to balance any social and cultural changes to our society after using English as main official language. Despite limitations mentioned, conscious promotion is still the best method for counter-balancing western influences under our situation. Perhaps we should learn to be more tactful so that any side-line debates on Asian/Western values would not distract our attention from the main social-cultural challenges we might need to face when all Singaporeans become English educated. (Will) (By then,)⁺ (will)⁺ Singaporeans (then) (still)⁺ support bilingual policy and promotion of Asian values(?)⁺ (That)⁺ will certainly determine how successful we have been in building a balanced east-west society.
  
  Comment 2: If foreigners, permanent residents and new immigrants have opportunities to understand  the background of the social-cultural challenges that we are facing, then there should be less chances for mis-understanding to occur.
  
  

  The following is the letter that prompted the above discussion in Straits Times Forum pages. Revive religious faith among young to check moral decline I REFER to the letter, ""Teach young the value of chastity'' (ST, Oct 27). I understand the writer's concerns over the decline of morality and his call for renewed attention to the value of chastity. But I feel that asking for the return of Victorian-like morality is insufficient. We must bear in mind that the problems our teens are facing now have evolved out of the gradual liberalisation of our society. Increased exposure to Western values has culminated in the indiscriminate emulation of these values by our young. Rising secularisation has witnessed a corresponding decline in one of the moral ""safeguards'' of our society -- religion. Hence, there is a soaring proliferation of atheism among the populace, resulting in a ""spiritual vacuum'' that is being filled by materialism and the pursuit of sensual pleasures. During the time of our forefathers, religious affiliation and conviction ensured that one would not stray from the beaten path, for fear of incurring the wrath of one's god and suffering retribution in the after-life. Strong beliefs and fear of the unknown became the best form of deterrence then. In the present situation, we are trying to substitute the difficult role religion plays with programmes like sex education. The increase in abortions indicates that we are fighting a losing battle against the onslaught of decadent Western values. Besides introducing sex education, I strongly suggest that the Education Ministry consider enhancing the teaching of religious or moral studies in our schools. 1 The authorities, civil institutions and media can also do their part by focusing on the importance of religious celebrations by our different racial groups and increasing their prominence in the eyes of our young. Although our Constitution guarantees the freedom of beliefs and associations, I strongly believe that we can arrest the undesirable trends among our young if we can restore their faith in religion. Xie YanMing  (ST 30/Oct/2000, Forum Page)

  
  
  
  
• [^9]
  In one of the debate on ST forum page in 1999 about the Changes to teaching of Chinese Language in school, an English-educated Singaporeans has pointed out the following:
  
  

  <The Straits Times> Jan 29 1999 A problem of culture ADJUSTMENTS to the teaching of Chinese as a second language can only alleviate or compound the difficulties of English-educated Chinese. The problem is still cultural. It requires conscious effort to value one's heritage and ethnicity, of which learning one's own language is definitely a part, in an environment that is predominantly Western influenced. To deny the need by reciting that "values are universal" is a poor excuse at best. Culture, ethnicity, identity and perspective are definitely not universal, and these are the real issues. To say that there are Westernised Chinese even in China misses the point. No one claims a fail-safe counter to Westernisation or wants Western influence excluded. Rather, the aim is to help the individual build a Chinese Singaporean cultural core to manage the West's influence. Far from being debunked as myth, it is what every culture which has retained its identity successfully while benefiting from contact with the rest of humanity has done. Learning Chinese as a second language is no guarantee of cultural integrity, but abandoning one's own language is a fundamental psychological break from one's culture that guarantees further cultural loss in future. It is a delusion that marginalising ethnicity develops a culturally neutral perspective when Western influence is so pervasive. What we do or fail to do today indeed determines our culture of tomorrow. That some English-educated Chinese Singaporeans prefer emigration to having their children struggle with Chinese in school speaks volumes about the damage wreaked on our psyche by Westernisation. With an aversion to one's own language and culture, talk of cultural transcendentalism and multiculturalism is perverse. These become pretensions to disguise cultural abandonment. Chinese in Hongkong and Taiwan read Chinese as a first language, even if they prefer speaking their dialects. Without English as a first language, they still produce Western tertiary graduates, entrepreneurs and innovators. If anything, they are seen as more vibrant than the English-speaking Chinese Singaporean who complains that having to study Chinese hampers personal development. Worse, we affect a false superiority over fellow Asians for our having a proficiency in English bought at the cost of de-culturalisation. Those who have called for ethnic rediscovery and renewal are fully vindicated. WONG HOONG HOOI

  
  
  
  
• [^10]
  (A former) (Formal)⁺ Indonesia President, Dr BJ Habibie, had pointed out that Singapore is just a red dot on the map, meaning, it is a very small and insignificant country. The use of red-dot here, however, means, not the special, but the odd one. We will be at odd with all Asians (and probably with most people in the world, including the English speaking people in the west) if our future generations are mostly proficient in English but look down on or hated our own (Asian based) ethnic languages and cultures.
  
  
  
• [^11]
  Postscript: Some history of this article
  
  The following article, titled "Language, culture, identity and bilingual policy", with a diagram, were drafted around Dec/1998 and faxed to (The Straits Times) ST forum desk on 07/Jan/1999. They were not published so I amended them, re-named the title to "Why the Success of Bilingual Policy is Important to Us", and put online on 27/Sep/2000. Recently (Sep/2024), I have decided to translate the article and diagram to Chinese, thus besides putting the Chinese version 《为什么双语政策的成功对我们很重要》 online, I think it is better to put the original 07/Jan/1999 English version online too.
  
  

  07/Jan/1999 Language, culture, identity and bilingual policy The recent discussion of language, cultural and identity issue in Singapore will be clearer and less contradicting if we touch on and “look at” our language policy and its implication. The attached diagram depicts a simplified view of language policy practiced by different country in the world. The circles represent countries and the oval represents the world. The shaded portion between each circle and the oval represent the interaction between individual country and the world. In other words, it shows the fact that foreign languages will be learned and mastered by some citizens in each country when needed. Most country naturally uses their national or native language as 1st language to unite their people. The circle on the left represents Singapore, it is clear that our language policy is different from others. Although this has important implication that we will discuss later, it does not mean that our policy is wrong. In fact, there are many important considerations and advantages which made most of us believe that it is the best policy we can afford to pursue under our situation to unite Singaporeans together. Our language policy (or best known as bilingual policy) does not simply mean English as 1st language, mother tongue as 2nd language. It contains our vision to build a united multi-racial and multi-cultural nation through the use of a common language for all races, and retaining the use of mother tongues within ethnic groups (or at least in individual family). Thus in bilingual policy, it is never ambiguous that mother tongues mean ethnic languages. It is never consider as counter Singaporean vision or identity whenever the importance of mother tongues for ethnic groups and their link to cultures and values are mentioned. With these in mind, let us “look at” the important implication of our language policy. From the attached diagram, it is clear that although the globalisation (including modernisation and industrialisation) may have made English becomes the most learned 2nd language in the world, but it has not change a simple fact that most country remain localise in term of language. They are first rooted or shield with local language and thus with local culture and value before exposed to foreign languages. This may sound sensitive to some Singaporeans but it is important for us to know that this is what most country in the world, which we do business with, is practicing. The advantage for most country to use local or native language as their first language is obvious. For majority of their citizens that do not know or have just acquired basic level of foreign languages through 2nd language education, unwanted foreign influences through globalisation will be limited or superficial. For their elite and those citizens who have mastered foreign languages, they will be truly bilingual; thus foreign influences are less likely to predominate their views while helping them to see the world in another perspective. In fact as the shaded portions of the attached diagram have suggested, citizens who are bilingual usually can act as middlemen to introduce and translate foreign knowledge, cultures and values to their local citizens. Therefore although no country in the world will be able to avoid western influences through globalisation, but with strong attachment to local language and culture, most country can preserve their uniqueness and modernise without westernise. As a multi-racial nation facing numerous limitations and constraints, our language policy has evolved differently from others. Since 1987, English has become the 1st language and mother tongue the 2nd language in our bilingual policy. In other words, we are doing the opposite way the other countries are doing in language education. The important implication of this different is clear. With English as 1st language, it can better fulfill our vision to build a united nation base on justice and equality for all races. Its economic value is also important for us to link and compete globally. However, on the other hand, instead of providing us a shield, it has exposed us, the entire nation, to all kind of western influences directly and, dominantly -- if we do not make any effort to balance them. Therefore the success and effectiveness of our bilingual education has become very important to us in nation building. For if we fail, we are more likely to westernise than other countries. Hence the main concern is how to enhance and assist bilingual policy so that we can maintain a balance of eastern and western influences for our younger and future generations. The idea to consciously promote our language, culture and value as a counter-balancing effort to the silent western influences on our young is therefore necessary. It is a pragmatic approach to supplement bilingual education so that more of our young will remain bilingual and culturally balance even though they are more proficient in English than mother tongue. Unfortunately all the conscious promotions of eastern cultures and values are more difficult than the silent influences from the west, especially ours is a multi-racial society. Therefore most of our balancing efforts are seen by critics as negative developments to Singapore culture and identity because, to be fair, we have to consciously promote different ethnic culture and value for different races. But these are no contradiction, we are a multi-racial nation, preserving of ethnic language, culture and value is thus a natural part of our multi-racialism and multi-culturalism. They are part of Singapore culture, which form the eastern bases of our society. Therefore as far as this part of Singapore culture’s development is concern, what has been changed is that instead of silent influences that we used to, we are turning to more conscious promotion to ensure our young are given enough exposure to eastern cultures and values. It is not about racial hegemony or communal politic. Neither it is aim to resist western influences blindly. On the other hand, with the successful implementation of common language and the common experiences we continuously going through in nation building, we believe the development of Singapore culture will evolve beyond the bases of preserving our eastern cultures and values. New social, cultural and political ingredients will be developed and added gradually to enrich and expand our multi-culturalism. They will form and strengthen the localise bonds and identity of our society. Our language policy may look odd to foreigners, but it is as noble (important) as theirs is in nation building. It has provided us a constructive framework to preserve and enrich our multi-culturalism so that the new Singapore culture will emerge from it. Therefore as long as the bilingual vision we have for Singapore prevail, the oddness of our language policy will not turn us into another “red dot” on the map.