The Education Ministry is considering a third language option of
learning Bahasa for non-Malays.
The target is to get some 10 to 15 percent of the non-Malay
population fluent in Bahasa and able to listen to, speak and read
the language.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew announced this at the Tanjong Pagar
GRC's Lunar New Year dinner at the Radin Mas Community Club on
Thursday night.
Mr Lee says Singapore's learnt from its experience in Aceh that
there's a need for more Singaporeans who can speak Bahasa, either
Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Indonesia.
This is because when the Indonesian military commanders briefed in
Bandar Aceh and Meulaboh, they spoke in Bahasa Indonesia.
MM Lee said: "On our side, only the Prime Minister, Minister for
Defence - Lee Hsien Loong and Teo Chee Hean - and a few SAF
officers understood them. The rest could not understand
them...which is very bad - if we don't understand what our
neighbours are saying, we are at a disadvantage. In the 1960s,
1970s, you go to any market you will still hear Malay but 30, 40
years of English and Mandarin, English and Malay, English and Tamil
- now you go to the market, you say English, Singlish or Mandarin.
The new generation doesn't understand any Malay - that is not good.
We have decided that it is important for a group of key officers in
MFA, SAF, the Police and several other agencies - who are competent
in Bahasa Indonesia or Malaysia."
Mr Lee also says the Year of the Rooster will be good but not as
well as that of the Monkey.
The present generation of leaders and people have shown they got
the mettle and the wit to adapt and change to make our companies
leaner and competitive and stay at or near the top.
Mr Lee also touched on the casino debate, a matter which he alluded
to during a ministerial forum with undergraduates last month.
He says it's a new issue that has focused the attention of the
community.
He said: "The right step was to have called for project proposals.
We then can assess the benefits and consider what safeguards we can
put in place, then weigh the pros and the cons carefully before a
decision is made. We have to be realistic and decide whether in a
globalised world, it makes sense to exclude casinos when casino
ships call regularly at Singapore, and Singaporeans can drive up to
Genting in 3-4 hours, or go by ferry to Batam or fly to Macau,
Melbourne, Sydney, London or Las Vegas." - CNA