>I REFER to the report,"Speak more Mandarin at home" (my paper, March 18).
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew spoke at the 30th anniversary of the Speak Mandarin campaign about the importance of learning and speaking Mandarin for Chinese Singaporeans.
I wholeheartedly agree with MM Lee that the value of a language lies in its usefulness.
In fact, I see Mandarin as a valuable asset not only in Singapore, but also around the world.
Mandarin is the national language of China and it helps Singaporeans to connect with the 1.3 billion people in the country.
Many students today choose to use only English as it is spoken widely.
However, English alone will not allow one to survive in a rapidly-changing and uncertain economy.
Some Singaporeans tell me that learning another language is useless.
After all, English is spoken everywhere.
But is that really the case?
It is true that English is now the global language of business.
But for Singaporeans to conduct business successfully overseas, especially in China, they must not only be able to communicate with the other party, but also understand his or her background and culture.
This is where the importance of knowing Mandarin should not be understated.
Chinese-Singaporean parents play a key role in educating their children on the use of Mandarin.
They should teach them to understand and appreciate the value and usefulness of the language in their later years.
Lastly, learning a different language often leads an individual to discover new perspectives and cultures.
Mr Sebastian Tan
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