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by winkywink » Sun, 04 Sep 2005 12:51 pm
Where is it written and agreed by our government that Singapore is a Chinese city ?
Obviously, you do not know your country's history. Singapore was first known by Parameswara,who was a Muslim, Singapore's first President was a Muslim, Yusof Ishak, thus our national song is Malay as well.
Mandarin is a popular language here ,not because Singapore is a Cina City but because majority of the population here is Chinese.
I am a local Sikh girl but since I have a flair for languages , I can speak 8 languages,including dialects,And Mandarin is one of them. Its a big problem here in Singapore and I guess the government is not doing anything about it cos they do not want the racial harmony here to be hampered.
On the other hand, the non-Chinese in Singapore have to ( optional) learn the Mandarin , if they would like to get employed quickly.
I am educated and have over 8 years in the Service industry.But,still I have a limited choice of jobs to apply for, just because I dont speak Mandarin. Even , if I do speak average Mandarin, I get ' tested ' at interviews, and eventually I still dont get the job , because Mandarin is one of the pre-requisite and cos I am not yellow.
Government has come up with 'Learn Mandarin' campaigns but why dont they come up with ' Learn English' campaign ?? All the while, since I started working , I always notice some things, or shall I say ,right from the time that I was in primary school. Of these are, Chinese going to recess, PE, going for lunch (at work), or in class sittng together. Then the Malays would be at another group, or the Indians at another.
Its sad that sometimes, I always see an Indian sitting alone, and no one to go for lunch with.
Why are people like that here.. i dont understand. I know there will be some of you out there who is going to read my thread and say some shitty things. But I dont care, cos its facts. Even at my present job,my colleagues,when going for lunch, will ask me to tag along.But I know whats going to happen.We are all going to sit together and Mandarin will be spoken, and I will feel left out. When you leave early from the table,the group will not bother that " Oh lets speak English ,so that we dont make others feel left out." Mentality of Singaporeans is most are not bothered as they feel comfortable in the language they are communicating in.
Now, when I take my son, to the playground, it even happens there,,Its bad..He is only 2+ and when he sees kids around his age, he approaches them with a big smile ,wanting to play. However, in return,he gets stares,,,and they say ' EEEEEE,,mama,,,bai lang "" i wonder if some of you will understand that.
And these parents make no effort in teaching their kids to repect other races.Or for that matter ,I have seen South Indians kids,, and these kids will go,,like they have seen some alien.
I think its high time that people's mindsets have to change,,and start learning English, and communicating at work places ,with a language that all understand. So that even, our counterparts from the West, will not feel out of place.
Cheers,
Melanie