Mandarin has to be the common language of Chinese Singaporeans. If the Government had left language habits to evolve undirected, Chinese Singaporeans would be speaking an adulterated Hokkien-Teochew dialect.

To effectively promote Mandarin, we closed down all dialect programmes on radio and TV [...]]]>

Source: The Straits Times Page A19, 18 Mar 2009
Speech by: Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew

Mandarin has to be the common language of Chinese Singaporeans. If the Government had left language habits to evolve undirected, Chinese Singaporeans would be speaking an adulterated Hokkien-Teochew dialect.

To effectively promote Mandarin, we closed down all dialect programmes on radio and TV from 1979.

As a result of the ‘no dialect’ policy, we now have a whole generation of children who cannot communicate with their grandparents who know only dialects. It saddens me that my two adult sons, both graduates who speak only English and Mandarin, cannot carry [...]]]>

Source: The Straits Times Forum Page A19, 9 March 2009
Letter by: Ang Kian Chuan

As a result of the ‘no dialect’ policy, we now have a whole generation of children who cannot communicate with their grandparents who know only dialects. It saddens me that my two adult sons, both graduates who speak only English and Mandarin, cannot carry on a conversation with their grandmother, who speaks only Hokkien.

Mr Chee is wrong on all counts.

Firstly, the Chinese dialects which he refers to are rightfully languages. Spoken Chinese is distinguished by a high level of internal diversity. There are between six and twelve main regional groups of Chinese (depending on classification scheme). The key language groups include Wu [...]]]>

Source: http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/03/a-response-to-mm-lees-private-secretary-on-dialects/, retrieved 8 March 2009
Article by Deng Chao

Mr Chee is wrong on all counts.

Firstly, the Chinese dialects which he refers to are rightfully languages. Spoken Chinese is distinguished by a high level of internal diversity. There are between six and twelve main regional groups of Chinese (depending on classification scheme). The key language groups include Wu (90 million speakers), Min (70 million) and Cantonese (or Yue) (70 million). Minnan (the southern branch of Min) includes also Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese.

Many Singaporeans are now fluent in both English and Mandarin. It would be stupid for any Singapore agency or NTU to advocate the learning of dialects, which must be at the expense of English and Mandarin.

That [...]]]>

Source: The Straits Times Forum Page A32, 7 March 2009
Letter by: Chee Hong Tat, Principal Private Secretary to the Minister Mentor

Many Singaporeans are now fluent in both English and Mandarin. It would be stupid for any Singapore agency or NTU to advocate the learning of dialects, which must be at the expense of English and Mandarin.

That was the reason the Government stopped all dialect programmes on radio and television after 1979. Not to give conflicting signals, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also stopped making speeches in Hokkien, which he had become fluent in after frequent use since 1961.