"I refer to the 6 Sept 2011 Straits Times report of your comments on Singapore’s bilingualism. You said you got Singapore to go for English as first language because that connected us to the world, to modern sciences, to commerce and made Singapore what it is.
The Germans, Swiss, Japanese, Taiwanese, Koreans, Chinese and Hong Kongers do not go for English as their first language. But that did not prevent them from getting connected to the world, to modern sciences and to commerce or prevent them from becoming what they are today. There is no evidence that mastering English as a first language was key to our prosperity.
Many Singaporeans credit you with the foresight for recognising English’s economic value and for promoting its use in Singapore. What is less commonly known is that English’s ascent to its preeminent position today in Singapore began long before you came to power.
"Quite clearly, many people already understood the usefulness of English long before you came along. Given such evidence, we should not go away with the idea that the promotion of English was your wisdom and foresight alone. You merely continued with a trend that began after the Second World War, albeit more ruthlessly perhaps."
Extracted from: Mr Lee on…
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