Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPENING

[cunnosieur]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

SO THAT SPOONS CAN "CUMMUNICATE" WITH

PRC Bank Exec

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Happen to be at waterloo street doing some bank transaction yesterday lunch time, was told by the counter staff to wait for 15min to half an hour. Went out for a quick puff and saw this gal leaning on my car talking on her phone. The moment she lift up her head, I was WOW..... Not bad leh. She smile back and say sorrie, I told her to carry on leaning in a joking way. We chatted awhile and got to know that she just arrived 3 weeks ago working at the Bank which I just went. So I try to date her out for a drink and she say OK (My Lucky Day).

Pick her up after her work at 5.30pm and we went downtown for dinner. I was trying my best to test water (NO LUCK). We headed to Boat Quay for a drink after dinner and I told myself this time DIE DIE also must ask. All of a sudden, she burst into tear (ALCOHOL EFFECT), saying she misses her parent. I try to console her and told her not to think so much. Time passes and we are now more open up, I pop up the question to her:

Me: Why dun you try to earn more money while you are in SG?
She: How to?
Me: Do part time lor.
She: What is part time?
Me: Must I go into detail, then you can understand.
(Slient for a while) and (Burst into laughter)
She: How much am I worth in your eye.
Me: Hard to say, depends on how good are you.
She: How much do you want to give me, if I say OK to you.
Me: 150 lor (Man Ego).
She: If I am good to you, you give me more is it?
Me: Let see how good are you.
Me: How???
She: Can try. Is it now?
Me: Now lor. If not when?
She: Where?
Me: I bring you there.

10.45pm we check into a hotel at chinatown and the rest is story.....

Name: Txxx Xxxx
Age: 25
Look: 7.5 (Young office exec look)
Stats: 34B / 24 / 34 (I think so)
BBBJ: Yes for me
FJ: 9 (good moaning)
Painting: Yes for me
CIM: No
AR: No
AJ: No
Attitude: Very anticipating
Damage: 150 / 1shot
Overall: Good
RTF: Yes for sure (Bonking a Bank Exec)

http://www.sammyboyforum.com/welcome...bank-exec.html

 

[Char_Azn]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

Your argument revolves almost entirely around your non- English speaking SINGAPOREAN relatives. The issue here is NOT about locals (which I have already explained the difference in a previous reply to you) but whether or not an FT should learn the MOST common language of the country he wants to work in. Bringing up Singaporeans in your argument is irrelevant which was why I said your logic is flawed in the first place.

BUT... if you think that there is nothing wrong with an FT going to another country (by choice, mind you) and expecting the host to adapt to him and not the other way round, then I have nothing more to say to you.

Before I start, I want to again elaborate that I support the view that if English is needed for the job, we need to get an FT with English. What I have been trying to say all along is simply, not all FTs needs to master English

The reason why I am pointing back to my non-English speaking relatives to illustrate the fact that English is not an essential tool needed to survive in SG.

English might not even be the most common language used here. Among most of my friends, and colleagues at places I've worked at, we use Chinese to communicate with one another(some even use their own dialects). Sure we use English for official stuff like during Meetings and such or when someone from another race is present, however most of the time when we communicate with one another we do it in Chinese

Yes English is a common language here used mainly as an official language and also for communication between the different races. However U forgot that we have 4 official language, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Unlike most other countries where only 1 single language is widely spoken or in the e.g. given earlier, Canada, where only some parts of the country speak French. In SG, most locals are able to communicate with 2 of the 4 languages.

Since we have
1)4 official languages
2)Many locals who does not understand any english but are still doing ok
3)English might not even be the most widely used language here
4)The majority of the population is bilingual
Why would we even need ALL FTs to be able to speak English

Like I said earlier, if the Job requires someone to be proficient in English, please get one who does. If the job have a particular person who works with pple who mainly/only speak Chinese/Malay/Tamil, I do not see the need for them to have to know English

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

What you have written is not the issue and is pretty much what happens all over the world.

The issue is that PRC Mandarin is slowing becoming the only language that service staff in buses, stores, petrol stations etc use. These are services that caters to all Singaporeans and we are multi-racial society with Malays who are the natives.

These PRC people have little or no clue about any other language. If nothing is done, deep divisions between the major races among singaporeans will form.

There has already been a number of letters to the press about service people who can only communicate in Mandarin.

The second issue is allowing racial enclaves to form, which the Government offically discourages via its HDB policy.

Though we are a predominently Chinese society, all singaporeans are schooled in one common language and that is English. I am sure you do realise why English has to be a common language.

I think that to be fair, not all should be blamed on PRC Chinese in Singapore not making enough effort to communicate in English. Singapore is an ethnic Chinese majority country. Everywhere the go, they'll see ethnic Chinese. It's only natural reflex that they start off conversations with speaking Mandarin.

Just like when I was in San Francisco, I'd naturally speak Cantonese instead of English whenever I came across Chinese Americans.

Singapore is a small and peculiar enclave of Chinese majority, in which ethnic Chinese speaking English to each other is very common, even in private and non-work related conversations. However, PRC Chinese haven't experienced this before and aren't brought up in an environment where the teaching medium is English.

Even among most American Chinese, I noticed that they too speak Cantonese to each other in personal conversations, switching to English only in workplace.

When a PRC Chinese learns English, it's usually for academic or professional advancement purpose only, not so much as a medium for everyday communication.

 

[blueblobster]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

Before I start, I want to again elaborate that I support the view that if English is needed for the job, we need to get an FT with English. What I have been trying to say all along is simply, not all FTs needs to master English

The reason why I am pointing back to my non-English speaking relatives to illustrate the fact that English is not an essential tool needed to survive in SG.

English might not even be the most common language used here. Among most of my friends, and colleagues at places I've worked at, we use Chinese to communicate with one another(some even use their own dialects). Sure we use English for official stuff like during Meetings and such or when someone from another race is present, however most of the time when we communicate with one another we do it in Chinese

Yes English is a common language here used mainly as an official language and also for communication between the different races. However U forgot that we have 4 official language, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Unlike most other countries where only 1 single language is widely spoken or in the e.g. given earlier, Canada, where only some parts of the country speak French. In SG, most locals are able to communicate with 2 of the 4 languages.

Since we have
1)4 official languages
2)Many locals who does not understand any english but are still doing ok
3)English might not even be the most widely used language here
4)The majority of the population is bilingual
Why would we even need ALL FTs to be able to speak English

Like I said earlier, if the Job requires someone to be proficient in English, please get one who does. If the job have a particular person who works with pple who mainly/only speak Chinese/Malay/Tamil, I do not see the need for them to have to know English

There may be 4 "official" languages, but there is only ONE common language understood by most locals (ok, your non- English speaking relatives do not count).

Most PRCs work in areas that require interaction with ALL races, not just Chinese so it's pure arrogance (and perhaps laziness) to expect locals to speak Chinese. They are not entirely to be blamed of course, as greedy employers are responsible for hiring in the first place.

Those that work in "hidden" jobs that require no human interaction is none of my concern (and totally irrelevant) since by the nature of their work, I won't interact with them at all.

It's the former that concerns me.

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

Agree with you. I noticed that quite a number that don't seem to understand why comments and complaints about this has been popping up recently. They also don't seem to understand that their logic is flawed.

Its no different to having an office meeting with 10 people in Singapore and then you have 2 chaps talking in Mandarin while there are 1 or 2 who may not have Mandarin as one of their 2nd language and may not understand the proceedings. Obviously the 2 can't say that Mandarin is one of the 4 official language.

Obviously there are Chinese companies where Mandarin, Hokkein and Teochew would be the language of the office. These are exceptions.

I am sure the chap at Banana Leaf Apollo is not having service staff who speak Tamil just because its an official language.

By the way, most Chinese Traders of old Singapore knew pasar Malay rather than English to ensure that effective communication takes place. This was despite the fact that Chinese was the majority in Singapore at that time as well.

There may be 4 "official" languages, but there is only ONE common language understood by most locals (ok, your non- English speaking relatives do not count).

Most PRCs work in areas that require interaction with ALL races, not just Chinese so it's pure arrogance (and perhaps laziness) to expect locals to speak Chinese. They are not entirely to be blamed of course, as greedy employers are responsible for hiring in the first place.

Those that work in "hidden" jobs that require no human interaction is none of my concern (and totally irrelevant) since by the nature of their work, I won't interact with them at all.

It's the former that concerns me.

 

[SamuelStalin]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

The locals should realize that China is now a rising power in Asia. The era of Britain and America and even their lapdog Japan has past.

So it is only natural to even directly demand that you locals speak Chinese. Even many people including the indigenous Malays in Malaysia are taking the Chinese language more seriously. To go against the need to know the language as the new lingua franca is to deny logic and the changing tides of the new century. Time to adopt to change and wake the hell up people. Didn't your government always tell you this?

There may be 4 "official" languages, but there is only ONE common language understood by most locals (ok, your non- English speaking relatives do not count).

Most PRCs work in areas that require interaction with ALL races, not just Chinese so it's pure arrogance (and perhaps laziness) to expect locals to speak Chinese. They are not entirely to be blamed of course, as greedy employers are responsible for hiring in the first place.

Those that work in "hidden" jobs that require no human interaction is none of my concern (and totally irrelevant) since by the nature of their work, I won't interact with them at all.

It's the former that concerns me.

 

[Char_Azn]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

There may be 4 "official" languages, but there is only ONE common language understood by most locals (ok, your non- English speaking relatives do not count).

Most PRCs work in areas that require interaction with ALL races, not just Chinese so it's pure arrogance (and perhaps laziness) to expect locals to speak Chinese. They are not entirely to be blamed of course, as greedy employers are responsible for hiring in the first place.

Those that work in "hidden" jobs that require no human interaction is none of my concern (and totally irrelevant) since by the nature of their work, I won't interact with them at all.

It's the former that concerns me.

Like I said already it depends on the context of the job. I agree with the fact that knowing the English language in SG is important and if the job requires such a skill, Yes please get someone who knows English.

However like I pointed out time and time again, English is not a necessary skill to surviving in SG. Why do I keep arguing about this, simple coz the guy I was replying to in the first post expects FTs to be able to speak English by default which I pointed out is not necessary

I just want to clarify this one last time

1. I agree with the fact that English is important.
2. Yes it is a common language in SG to communicate between the different races
3. Yes I agree we need FTs who speaks English if the job calls for them to interact with pple who might not know Chinese/Malay/Tamil which in your words would be the non-hidden jobs

What I was trying to point out is

• FTs does not necessarily need to be able to speak English to find a living here
• There are a lot of jobs available that does not require someone to be able to communicate in English
• If locals are able to survive in SG without knowing how to speak English, I do not see anything wrong with having FTs who cannot communicate in English

Like I said before, I was addressing someone who wants only FTs who are able to communicate English by default. I agree with you that FTs should be able to speak English if their job requires it HOWEVER I do not agree with the fact that all FTs need to know english since many of the work they do are your so called "hidden jobs"

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

I think you must have misread the comments that appeared in the media and here.

No one suggested that FT must be bilingual. Bangladeshis have been working in Singapore for 20 odd years and so have Indonesian maids. I can't recall anyone writing to the press or commenting that they be bilingual or need to know English.

I am curious - where did you come across such comments?

What I was trying to point out is

• FTs does not necessarily need to be able to speak English to find a living here
• There are a lot of jobs available that does not require someone to be able to communicate in English
• If locals are able to survive in SG without knowing how to speak English, I do not see anything wrong with having FTs who cannot communicate in English

Like I said before, I was addressing someone who wants only FTs who are able to communicate English by default. I agree with you that FTs should be able to speak English if their job requires it HOWEVER I do not agree with the fact that all FTs need to know english since many of the work they do are your so called "hidden jobs"

 

[Char_Azn]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

I think you must have misread the comments that appeared in the media and here.

No one suggested that FT must be bilingual. Bangladeshis have been working in Singapore for 20 odd years and so have Indonesian maids. I can't recall anyone writing to the press or commenting that they be bilingual or need to know English.

I am curious - where did you come across such comments?

I was commenting on this guy's post. Pretty sure I quoted him in that reply

Whats wrong with expecting FT to speak at least english
These foreigners have to function in a multi-cultural society & you already have cases where the PRC sales staff, bus drivers,..., can't even communicate with the customers.

If you want to STUDY in places like the US, Canada,..., you have some minimum language requirements like TOEFL.

If a bangala, PRC,Indian,..., wants to work in Spore whats wrong with expecting minimum communication skills If they can't meet these requirements then they obviously aren't qualified

 

[downgrader]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

This issue is very unnecessarily emotional

Live and let live, we will all die soon enough - 80 years or so is all we have

china is rising rapidly, that's why more and more using the language as its influence spreads

听懂了吗？

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

Your first post was before his. He was replying to your post.

I was commenting on this guy's post. Pretty sure I quoted him in that reply

 

[Char_Azn]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

And I was trying to explain myself ever since that post

This issue is very unnecessarily emotional

Live and let live, we will all die soon enough - 80 years or so is all we have

china is rising rapidly, that's why more and more using the language as its influence spreads

听懂了吗？

I perfer to call it a healthy debate. Unlike most threads in here. We were not flaming each other with profanities and what not. Expressing your differences in opinions is what a makes life interesting in a forum without having to resort to derogatory terms of coz.

 

[Ramseth]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

I think I'm looking at this from another angle. The point of complaint is usually that a PRC staff can't speak English in order to serve a customer's needs properly. From my point of view, I don't blame the PRC staff for not speaking or learning English, I blame the employer for not hiring staff who has already learned to and can speak English, when the expected patronage is multi-racial.

For example, I won't blame Bee Chin Hiang Pork Slice shops for hiring PRC staff who can speak Mandarin only. Their clientele is practically 100% Chinese. However, in the case of mass public transport companies like SBS, hiring drivers not being able to speak English in Singapore is rather inexcusable. All the street names, road signs, traffic regulation signs are standardised in English and passengers are multi-racial.

 

[Char_Azn]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

I think I'm looking at this from another angle. The point of complaint is usually that a PRC staff can't speak English in order to serve a customer's needs properly. From my point of view, I don't blame the PRC staff for not speaking or learning English, I blame the employer for not hiring staff who has already learned to and can speak English, when the expected patronage is multi-racial.

For example, I won't blame Bee Chin Hiang Pork Slice shops for hiring PRC staff who can speak Mandarin only. Their clientele is practically 100% Chinese. However, in the case of mass public transport companies like SBS, hiring drivers not being able to speak English in Singapore is rather inexcusable. All the street names, road signs, traffic regulation signs are standardised in English and passengers are multi-racial.

Precisely what I've been trying to say all along

On another note, I agree with PRC drivers being totally inadequate to drive buses on our roads. Not only are they not proficient in English, in China, they freaking drive on the other side of the road. :oIo::oIo:

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

1) Nobody is blaming the PRC chap. If I was a inuit from Canada and I think I can make a living in Singapore, I will take it up even if I can't speak the local language. Its up to the host country to set policies to see if I can contribute to the country without offending or upsetting anyone

2) Nobody in his right mind will complain, comment or write to the press if a PRC sells Pork Slices and can only speak in Mandarin. Who is going to complain?

The issue is services that impact the wider community (1st condition) and secondly where communication is essential (2nd condition) to clarify things. Example would be buses,(as you correctly pointed out) stores selling items that require some explanation.

For instance, every kid in the old days buy Kacang Puteh from the Indian who can only speak tamil or Malay. But no one gets upset but because sign language can get the job done. We had Indonesian maid s for 20 years and no one has complained at all. So there is reason why these complaints have come about.

Another example is a household who can't speak Malay having an Indonesian maid who can only speak Bahasa. But the household is prepared to to be patient and eventually communication will improve. You can't have patience on a moving bus.

If you read the comments put out in the press, it not about the language per se, but the inability to serve the customer.

I think I'm looking at this from another angle. The point of complaint is usually that a PRC staff can't speak English in order to serve a customer's needs properly. From my point of view, I don't blame the PRC staff for not speaking or learning English, I blame the employer for not hiring staff who has already learned to and can speak English, when the expected patronage is multi-racial.

For example, I won't blame Bee Chin Hiang Pork Slice shops for hiring PRC staff who can speak Mandarin only. Their clientele is practically 100% Chinese. However, in the case of mass public transport companies like SBS, hiring drivers not being able to speak English in Singapore is rather inexcusable. All the street names, road signs, traffic regulation signs are standardised in English and passengers are multi-racial.

 

[SamuelStalin]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

This issue is very unnecessarily emotional

Live and let live, we will all die soon enough - 80 years or so is all we have

china is rising rapidly, that's why more and more using the language as its influence spreads

听懂了吗？

The problem is that especially the Chinese in the country they are not proud of their own language and culture. Many of them feel insecure because for the decades before they were ingrained in the English language and for the earlier generations we heard, it was Melayu. So even the Indians feel good being dominated by Malay language but feel bad being dominated by Chinese language? It doesn't add up as they are invariably second place in terms of language.

And we thought the local Chinese would stand up and you know, advocate more usage and discussions and learning together in the language of their heritage and push the government to allow for more of the Chinese culture they could also share with the other peoples and approach the Chinese from China with a more positive attitude, but no. They chose to join the minority races in complaining against the rise of China and the increased relevance of Chinese in this new age.

This really is very un-called for. If Chinese people don't stand up and respect themselves, then nobody else will look up to and respect them. Oh yes, like these anti-establishment individuals always like to say: respect has to be earned.

 

[scroobal]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

I noticed that people keep tripping over such issues because language, race and culture and now alternative lifestyle are such sensitive and contentious issues.

I will use an example that is not linked to such sensitive issues and point out why reasonable forummers/people such as yourself and many others tend to trip over them.

If someone wrote to the press and stated that there should be a law that forbids naked flames to be started in an enclosed place for safety reasons. There are people who will respond immediately and tell others that their family had roasted meat on a spit for generations and find the taste much better. The issue is naked flames plus enclosed places and not just naked flames. Try roasting meat using naked flames in an enclosed place - you will drop dead in 30 minutes if you are lucky or get blown when the flames ignite built up gases.

As I said before, for over 20 years, we had foreigners with no grasp of any of official languages of this country who contribute to our society and no one had raised a complaint and wrote to the press before.

In the late 90s, the first such complaint surfaced and interestingly it was about PRC nurses who had difficulty communicating in hospitals. Then the complaints stopped. Then it started again about 2 years ago across the service sectors.

Its not about where they come from, how they look like etc. Its about doing the task effectively and if communication is essential to the task, then there must be some criteria or pre-requisite called for. Because we have others races that we consider them as key component of our society (whether some people agree on not), it becomes a little bit more sensitive.

Employers are facing a cut throat market, with high rentals and labour costs, that for many its a month to month proposition to survive to hire such workers especially when they get an upfront payment. Its Public listed companies, corporations and GLCs with deep pockets that have monopoly powers on certain services and product that have to act responsibly but hiring the right people. Obviously they can't and the Govt has step in.

In the mid 90s, when the complaints surfaced in the hospitals, action was taken and I suspect because no matter how influential you are, you need hospitals unlike public transports such as buses.

SIA was another case in the mid 90s - in this case, they got competency in language right but the attitude wrong and recruitment from India and China was stopped for more than a year and I understand some batches were terminated. Notice who tend to be passengers on SIA.

Clearly, the government has slowly but surely moved away from the people of Singapore. It knows what the movers and shakers want but not singaporeans. Just look at Philip Yeo who was appointed to Spring but because it was in Bukit Merah/Redhill, he wanted no part of it. Rather than move the mountain, Mohammed decided to stay in Fusionpolis and essentially moved the HQ apparatus over. Interestingly they are close by.

Look at some of the better known retail chains and shops, good people, can communicate and they too have people from abroad.

One other thing to consider is the level of service provided previously and now. No one will accept a drop. People could understand the early years where not everyone was conversant or capable but eventually people understood one another and standards rose. You can't expect them to go back.

Precisely what I've been trying to say all along

On another note, I agree with PRC drivers being totally inadequate to drive buses on our roads. Not only are they not proficient in English, in China, they freaking drive on the other side of the road. :oIo::oIo:

 

[SamuelStalin]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

People should understand that the old times are gone and take their heads out of the sand to know who the new power is.

And learn the language of the new power. Why is it that people don't complain learning a Western language but complain learning an Asian one? Doesn't make sense.

Since Singaporeans are used to following the official directives then maybe the government should officiate Mandarin as the first language at least in the social communication context. Then no one will complain, not the Malays and Indians even.

Adjust people, adjust!

 

[johnny333]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

People should understand that the old times are gone and take their heads out of the sand to know who the new power is.

And learn the language of the new power. Why is it that people don't complain learning a Western language but complain learning an Asian one? Doesn't make sense.

Since Singaporeans are used to following the official directives then maybe the government should officiate Mandarin as the first language at least in the social communication context. Then no one will complain, not the Malays and Indians even.

Adjust people, adjust!

Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn. In the Spore System, its not enough to just be functional, they insist you do it at the 'O'/'A' levels.

Why would anyone go through 10-12 years of hardship just so you can communicate with some PRC bus drivers in Spore

English is not only so much easier but more relevant to education & business. There are better Unis in UK, US, Aussie, Canada than in China. Even the Chinese & Spore gov'ts send their scholars to those countries

Many of the decent paying jobs are offered by the MNCs & its english & not chinese thats important. With english you can also emigrate to these popular 1st world countries with their 1st world syandard

Sporeans have learned its useless to complain to the gov't & are voting with their feet. Even the elites are leaving

 

[SamuelStalin]

Re: Sporns Need to Serve NS, Be Bilingual. No Need for FTrash. WHAT THE FCUK IS HAPPE

Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn. In the Spore System, its not enough to just be functional, they insist you do it at the 'O'/'A' levels.

Why would anyone go through 10-12 years of hardship just so you can communicate with some PRC bus drivers in Spore

English is not only so much easier but more relevant to education & business. There are better Unis in UK, US, Aussie, Canada than in China. Even the Chinese & Spore gov'ts send their scholars to those countries

Many of the decent paying jobs are offered by the MNCs & its english & not chinese thats important. With english you can also emigrate to these popular 1st world countries with their 1st world syandard

Sporeans have learned its useless to complain to the gov't & are voting with their feet. Even the elites are leaving

It is true than Mandarin is not easy. This shows the profundity and depth of Chinese civilization. Look at English. 24 letters of the alphabet make up their language already. Like Malay. The Hawaiian alphabet is more laughable at 12. Furthermore for English they try to make themselves a bit more sophisticated (albeit unnecessarily) by coming up with many of these sentence, grammar and vocabulary rules that are a waste of time. Chinese doesn't have these irrelevant nonsense despite the intricate strokes in its characters ie you don't need past and present tenses and conditional clauses and all that jazz to express yourself artfully in the Chinese language, yet when statements are expressed they are too deep even to be represented even by English translation.

Maybe you are not Chinese (which I doubt), but if you are then really I'd say shame on you for complaining about having to learn your own language, calling it hardship and all that. The way Chinese is being taught in Singapore is very simplified, not like what it is in the older days or even in China itself.

Yes, not only simplified characters (Singapore is the ONLY advanced country in the world since the 80s to follow China's writing system whereas the rest remained steeped in the obsolete traditional ones) but also how it is taught, together with English. In China people learn BOTH traditional and simplified characters among the memorization of classic poems and other things.

You learn Chinese not to just communicate with bus drivers and the service staff from the People's Republic of China, but also, to speak with other Chinese wherever you go. I am surprised you don't actually feel ashamed saying what you said, justifying your right to be a banana like the redskins who call their own defectors apples in the same context. Even Westerners themselves I do not think many would applaud or respect you so much for speaking their language well and ditching your own mother tongue. They might be impressed with your command of English (they are easily impressed anyway partly because most Asians they spoke to before you are very poor in the language) but behind that appearance they do not think much of you.

There is nothing confusing about this.

Decent jobs offered by MNCs for speaking English? Maybe. If you are working to serve the Chinese market and Chinese customers you need a command of Chinese as well to be regarded as more professional as you are able to cater to a larger demography of their customers. So Chinese is important as well.

Emigrate to these Western countries and be looked down upon there? And live there as second or even third class citizens and suffer? I beg to differ seriously. If everything's fine maybe being a second-class citizen is enjoyable but when you run into problems socially or otherwise you might be telling people here a different story. You probably would have become a Canadian citizen too a long time ago when you could since it is clear to us you are in awe of Western countries and the fully Western ways of life. If not, why aren't you?

I believe people should be proud of their own culture and race and not be so gungho about all things Western including their decadent ideas of living.