B4 | Insight The Sunday Times | Sunday, February 18, 2018 Sunday, February 18, 2018 | The Sunday Times Insight | B5

An evolving Chinese identity

selves down. (For instance), are we saying that we are not confident of A rising China brings our own culture, and we need to rely on the CCC?” Journey But Dr Neo Peng Fu, 56, the Singa- porean director of CI-NTU, believes new cultural anxieties that the Chinese influence can strengthen Chinese Singaporeans’ ethnic identity if handled properly. Prof Kuo agrees, saying: “If you objectively look at what China has achieved, it can also lead to a sense to the of pride, or at least a (greater) sense of identity because of our cultural affinity with them.” After all, it is difficult to draw a clear line between Singaporean Chi- nese culture and the greater Chi- nese culture, says Dr Neo. While his Yuen Sin institute offers classes in ink paint- West – ing, for example, Singapore also has a rich heritage of such paint- ings done in the local Nanyang When poet Alvin Pang, 45, flipped style. “So would you say that this is through Chinese teaching material our culture or their culture? It’s not being used at his 12-year-old daugh- so black and white.” ter’s school last year, he was sur- prised to see “ba sha” – the local THE KEY IS ENGAGEMENT and now, Chinese term for market, similar to Still, some may raise their eye- the Malay “pasar” – replaced by brows at the presence of the Confu- “shi chang”, the term that is used in cius Institute here. But Dr Neo be- mainland China. lieves that actively engaging China “We have our own flavour of the is a far better approach than being culture and language. I’m very dis- confrontational or ignoring devel- turbed to see it disappearing, be- opments. CI-NTU, he adds, has au- cause it belongs to us,” says Mr tonomy over how it runs and de- the East Pang, a member of the Promote signs programmes, and 80 per cent Mandarin Council. of its operating expenses is funded As China’s economic star rises, from its own revenue. Singapore’s business and cultural Parliamentary Secretary for Cul- ties with it have also deepened, ture, Community and Youth Baey leading to more Singaporeans Yam Keng, who has researched adopting elements of its culture China’s cultural diplomacy, says en- that are not common here. gaging with a globalising China can But that has also triggered new allow it and the rest of the world to anxieties among Singaporeans like better understand Singapore’s mul- Mr Pang, who fear this could dilute tilingual, multicultural context. the unique Chinese culture found Local jazz singer Nathan in multicultural Singapore. Others Hartono’s participation in popular fear that deepening ties and a sense Chinese variety show Sing! China in of cultural affinity between the two 2016, for example, has shed light in countries could splinter the loyal- China on the cultural background ties of Chinese Singaporeans and of Singaporeans. Mr Baey says al- draw them closer to the mainland. though younger Singaporeans For the past five years, China has speak Mandarin and sing Chinese been Singapore’s top trading part- Dr Neo Peng Fu, the Singaporean director of the Confucius Institute at NTU, songs, the way they process their ner, according to International En- with pre-school material featuring content that is locally relevant, designed by thoughts and express themselves is A translation class in progress at Dunman High School. A longstanding concern about SAP schools is whether they tend to become exclusive bubbles – as they admit only students who take Chinese as their mother tongue. SAP schools have sought to terprise Singapore. It is also the the institute’s teaching resource team. ST PHOTO: LEE JIA WEN still predominantly in English. address these concerns. DHS, for example, has made a concerted push to provide opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with other racial communities and better understand Singapore’s multicultural context. ST PHOTO: LEE JIA WEN largest destination market for Sin- Trainee lawyer Clement Lin, 26, gapore’s foreign investments, to- who spent 2016 on a work-study talling $123.5 billion in 2016. are “rapidly gaining momentum” poreans connect with the Singa- stint in Shanghai, says while he Among students, China is an in- here. Last year, Chinese variety porean identity. Over four in five of used to regard Chinese nationals in SAP schools: Adapting to new realities creasingly popular destination. At shows dominated seven spots on the 1,000-plus Chinese survey re- Singapore as “culturally distinct”, the National University of Singa- its top 10 list of most-watched pro- spondents in a study on ethnic iden- his time in China made him realise pore (NUS), the number who grammes on channel Hub E City. tity by the Institute of Policy Stud- the differences are not as clear-cut. headed there annually for work- Last month, China announced a ies (IPS) and Channel News Asia “The city had a growing middle Lawyer Michael Chia, 46, with his parents, Madam Yee Sook Meng, 79, and Mr study stints, exchanges and other relaxation of visa rules that will al- last November said they either iden- class that was starting to resemble With English being Singapore’s lin- past president of Hwa Chong Junior ment where the Chinese language sibly leaves them better off than if BENEFICIAL on social media and ask me what it Chia Kee Chong, 79, at their home in Woodlands. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO short-term programmes more than low foreigners of Chinese origin to tified more with their Singaporean Singaporeans in the sense they are gua franca today, the linguistic land- College Alumni Association – miss and culture are emphasised have they had studied in a different envi- means. Common misconceptions doubled to about 400 as of last Au- apply for visas valid for multiple en- identity or with both their ethnic very comfortable with their own scape of SAP schools – set up in the Mandarin-speaking environ- become all the more important in ronment,” he says. Each time I speak with can be addressed this way,” she says. gust from 2012. At the Singapore tries over five years, up from one and Singaporean identity. lifestyles, and they also chase after 1979, before the eventual demise of ment of the schools they grew up in. today’s context. A longstanding concern about these alumni who In response to queries from In- When lawyer Michael Chia, 46, was a student at Management University (SMU), 20 year previously. This move, ana- At the opening of the Singapore the same things as us. In terms of vernacular schools in the 1980s – “The language gives you a nostal- Dr Hon Chiew Weng, 61, who SAP schools is whether they tend to sight about whether the role of Hua Yi Secondary School in the 1980s, its main per cent of students who go to lysts have said, is so that Beijing can Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) how we view the world, it felt like has undergone a seismic shift from gic, sentimental feeling,” says Mr retired last year as principal of HCI become exclusive bubbles – as they work in China, they SAP schools should be relooked, language of instruction had just switched from Asian universities on semester ex- tap the non-mainland ethnic last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien we were converging.” when Mandarin was the dominant Lin. But he remains proud of how after 35 years, says that the issue of admit only students who take Chi- Ministry of Education deputy Chinese to English. changes studied in China in 2015, Chinese outside China for support Loong noted that more than 50 He thinks such interactions can language among the students. his alma mater – now known as English-speaking students “ap- nese as their mother tongue. SAP always thank the director-general of education (cur- This was in contrast with the experience of his compared with 9 per cent in 2012. in its bid to realise its potential as a years after independence, Singa- dispel the sense of mistrust be- At Dunman High School (DHS), Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) – con- pears to be a problem, but it’s not a schools have sought to address school for making riculum) Sng Chern Wei says they father, an alumnus of Nanyang University, or Meanwhile, China has been at- new superpower. poreans can speak of a Singaporean tween citizens of the two countries one of the 26 SAP (Special Assis- tinues to retain its Chinese values problem at all”. these concerns. “continue to play an important Nantah, which, in his time, was prized by the tempting to pull at the “cultural “The China factor looms larger Chinese culture, just as how there that he sometimes sees played out tance Plan) schools here which al- and traditions, such as marking While students may seldom use DHS, for example, has made a con- Higher Chinese role in delivering a quality bicul- Chinese-speaking community as the only heartstrings” of overseas Chinese, and larger, particularly with the is a Singaporean Malay culture and online. “There is a lot of misunder- low students to pursue both Eng- major cultural festivals like the the Chinese language in school, it certed push to provide opportuni- compulsory. tural education premised on Chinese-language tertiary institution outside China. says SMU associate professor Eu- change in policy towards overseas a Singaporean Indian culture. standing, and some Singaporeans lish and Chinese as first languages – Mid-Autumn Festival. gives them a strong foundation ties for students to engage meaning- strong national education and char- But in 1980, Nantah became history after it was gene Tan, who has written papers Chinese,” notes NTU Emeritus Pro- He also sketched out a definition may have a bit of a superiority com- and which preserve the heritage Others, such as mother-of-three Is- later in life, he says. “Each time I fully with other racial communities acter building”. merged with the University of Singapore, amid an on the Chinese Singaporean iden- fessor Eddie Kuo, 77, who is also ad- of what this distinctiveness entails: plex when it comes to relating to and history of former Chinese abelle Loo, 45, doubt whether SAP speak with these alumni who work and better understand Singapore’s SAP schools may not be the only era emphasising English proficiency. tity. The $44 million China Cultural viser to the Singapore University of While a Chinese Singaporean may mainland Chinese.” medium schools – the sight of stu- schools indeed provide the best envi- in China, they always thank the multicultural context. Since 2016, institutions that can produce bilin- While his father watched old-fashioned films Centre (CCC), for example, is one of Social Sciences’ Centre for Chinese be proud of being a Chinese, he is Maintaining the right balance be- dents chattering in English is now a ronment for learning Mandarin. school for making Higher Chinese the school’s Year 4 cohort has been gual talents in Singapore, says poet from China, Mr Chia was drawn to cowboy more than 20 China has erected Studies. This may have sparked wor- also “increasingly conscious” that tween this sense of cultural affinity common one. Her 18-year-old son, who studies compulsory,” he says. visiting students at Madrasah Alju- DR HON CHIEW WENG, who retired last year Alvin Pang, 45, a member of the westerns and movies from Hong Kong and , globally to promote its culture. ries about its cultural influence that his “Chineseness’”is different from with China and a multicultural Sin- It is a similar situation at other at HCI, was admitted into the school DHS principal Tony Low, 52, says nied Al-Islamiah over two days as ’’as principal of Hwa Chong Institution, on Promote Mandarin Council. But he which were considered “trendy”. And at Confucius Institute at may lead to “situational shifts in the Chineseness of the Malaysian gapore identity is almost an art, SAP schools such as Catholic High via the Direct School Admission the school’s immersive environ- part of an annual learning journey, how the Chinese language gives students feels they should not be done away Mr Chia says: “In my younger days, you thought Nanyang Technological University identity” among Singaporeans, par- and Indonesian Chinese, or the Chi- says Prof Kuo. “If we associate School (CHS) and Chung Cheng scheme on account of being in the ment can give those who may not where they can interact and learn a strong foundation later in life. with because they play “a specific of China as being backward, from stories of (CI-NTU), enrolment in its courses, ticularly mainland Chinese immi- neseness of the people in China or closer with mainland Chinese and High School (Main), where stu- Gifted Education Programme. She be interested in Chinese in the first about the students’ school life. historical and political role”. relatives going back, and us being more well-to-do has grown to close to 7,000 a year grants who have become citizens. Hong Kong or Taiwan. alienate our fellow Singaporeans of dents tell Insight that they prefer to said: “He found learning Mandarin a place an added impetus to pick up Its National Education subject “They pay homage to the culture than kindred there.” from around 200 in 2007. It is one Leaders here, meanwhile, have Prof Tan notes that while there other racial groups, then we are in speak in English among friends. struggle because language stan- the language, even if they joined head Noorizan Beevi, 39, who shy to broach with others. and heritage of Chinese schools While growing up, Mr Chia spoke Mandarin and of more than 500 such institutes emphasised the uniqueness of a Chi- are no signs of overt competition trouble. But it is also not pragmatic “We slip into Mandarin some- dards were set too high in the class- the school more for its reputation teaches conversational Malay – com- “They asked questions that are that have shaped Singapore in the Teochew dialect with his father. Today, he speaks around the world, which analysts nese Singaporean cultural identity between the CCC and SCCC, there for us to detach and say we are times, but most of us are not fluent room. He found it discouraging.” than its Chinese heritage. pulsory for all students at the Sec- commonly discussed at other dia- past, and the importance of this English with his four children, aged eight to 18. say help project Chinese soft power. that is distinct from a greater Chi- may still be uneasiness if they were merely Singaporeans. Culture is enough in the language,” says CHS But past and present leaders of “(It may be) an uphill battle for ondary 1 and 2 levels – also conducts logues on race and religion, such as historical backdrop should not be When Mr Chia was in primary school, China was The head of StarHub’s content nese culture. to collaborate on programmes to- not a zero-sum game.” student Lucas Tham, 13. SAP schools say that their efforts at them, but I think we have enough dialogues in class where students the difference between halal dishes downplayed.” undergoing extensive economic reforms and business unit, Ms Lee Soo Hui, also The need for such an emphasis is gether. “I wonder if both sides feel Some alumni of SAP schools – like promoting bilingualism and im- passionate teachers and students can ask questions about the Malay and those with no pork or no lard. industrialisation after opening up following the says TV programmes from China felt even as most Chinese Singa- that they might be putting them- [email protected] Mr Lin Wei Liang, 50, immediate mersing students in an environ- around to influence them. That pos- culture and Islam which they may be Some hear of the term ‘Allahu Akbar’ Yuen Sin Cultural Revolution. And now, it has become a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. This is reflected in Mr Chia’s own language journey. He now watches programmes and movies He says: “The Chinese here often from China such as of China, which he say that they don’t experience The back story says are almost indistinguishable in quality from Greater sensitivity racism and some may believe that Hong Kong and Taiwan ones. His friends marvel at racism does not exist, but being A team of editors and reporters cial features on the Chinese Sin- how the Singapore-based children of prominent self-reflective about how others from The Straits Times and gaporean identity that ran in American investor Jim Rogers speak fluent may go through experiences that Lianhe Zaobao newspapers put both papers today – the third Mandarin, and urge their own children to improve to ‘majority privilege’ are different from us is not some- their heads together nearly two day of Chinese New Year . their grasp of the Chinese language. thing we do enough.” months ago to work on a project The experiment drew mixed While politicians and academics used to draw Ms Shahrany Hassan, 42, a con- aiming to cut across the respec- reactions. Facebook user Chang neat lines through the Chinese community – sultant for the CommaCon cam- tive language boundaries within Zi Qian, who read both the Eng- English-educated who are outgoing and racially paign, a social cohesion initiative, which each paper operates. lish and Chinese versions of the integrated; Chinese-educated introverted and hopes more people in the Chinese The aim: To examine how the letters on SAP schools, said hardworking; working-class heartlanders; or The Chinese community remains Janil Puthucheary last September. day life. For example, if they burn community can be receptive to dis- Chinese Singaporean identity something was lost in transla- bilingual cosmopolitans – what defines a Chinese the dominant racial group here, The term, coined by indepen- joss paper along the corridor dur- cussions surrounding such issues. has evolved in the eyes of millen- tion. “The original Chinese let- Singaporean today has become complex and fluid. and many may not have frequent in- dent scholar and activist ing the Hungry Ghost Festival, per- “Many still react defensively to the nials who grew up under Singa- ter was very heartfelt,” he wrote The linguistic landscape has shifted. While in teractions with those of other Sangeetha Thanapal, is borrowed haps it might be good to ask neigh- term, but some don’t have friends pore’s bilingual education sys- in Chinese. “(The English trans- 1957, less than 2 per cent of Singapore households races. from the term “white privilege” in bours of other races if it’s okay for outside of their own race, and don’t tem. lation) didn’t do the original cited English as their most-used language at home, For example, just two in 10 Chi- the United States. It refers to the them to go ahead.” understand the perceived and real It would do this through the letter justice.” the figure has soared to 36.9 per cent in 2015, nese Singaporeans have a close inability to see things from the SFCCA youth committee chair- challenges that others face, such as exchange of six letters between Zaobao reader Li Gang said it according to the General Household Survey. friend who is Malay or Indian, ac- viewpoint of those who are not in man Tan Aik Hock, 49, says the dia- being held up to standards of two reporters. These would be was a “meaningful initiative”, As for dialects, their use fell amid the rise of cording to a 2013 survey of 4,131 Sin- the majority race. logue with Dr Janil also reminded beauty of the majority race.” written in their respective work- while ST reader Liyi Chen wrote Mandarin. After the launch of the Speak Mandarin gaporeans by the Institute of Policy “While we are the majority and him and other clan leaders of the But writer Masturah Alatas, 50, ing languages on three topics: on Facebook: “I like the format Campaign in 1979, the share of those who spoke Studies and OnePeople.sg. have a loud voice, it doesn’t mean need to avoid using certain terms cautions against the use of the term the rise of China, Special Assis- of having more than one opin- Mandarin at home grew from 0.1 per cent in 1957 to In recent years, a number of that we should not listen to what for other races that are derogatory “Chinese privilege” when it comes tance Plan (SAP) schools, and ion in the Opinion section.” 34.9 per cent in 2015. The number of dialect younger Chinese Singaporeans others are saying,” Mr Ng tells In- and hurtful – even when not in the to discussions on race relations, issues arising from being the ma- MJ Chua, another Zaobao speakers – Hokkien (30 per cent), Teochew (17 per have been fronting efforts to re- sight, explaining why he broached presence of those races. which she says could be problem- jority race. reader, was struck by the value cent) and Cantonese (15 per cent) – dropped to an mind members of the community the topic at the dialogue, held at Mr Timothy Seet, 24, the execu- atic as “there is no common or con- The reporters – Zaobao’s Ng of language mastery after read- overall 12.2 per cent in 2015. to be more aware of how they may the Singapore Federation of Chi- tive director of Unsaid, a youth arts sistent understanding of Chinese- Wai Mun, 29, and ST’s Yuen Sin, ing the columns. The Chinese Singaporean of today continues to be guilty of casual racism or actions nese Clan Associations (SFCCA). and social organisation, says some ness to begin with”. For example, it 25 – also hoped that this inter- “Language is not just some- indulge in local hawker fare, like Hainanese chicken that are insensitive to those of mi- In recent years, he has also been Chinese Singaporeans may blister is dubious if various Chinese sub- cultural conversation could thing you learn to pass exams,” rice, and mark Chinese New Year by tossing nority groups. speaking to elder clan members at being labelled “privileged”. But groups, such as Chinese who do not throw up perspectives that are he wrote in Chinese on Face- yusheng (raw fish salad). But he also finds himself The issue of “Chinese privilege” about the need to be more con- what the term aims to do is prompt speak English or Chinese Muslims, seldom encountered by the re- book. “If you carry this attitude, at the crossroads of a global power shift from West was raised by Mr Stanley Ng, 32, scious of how minority groups reflections on how they may be ad- have benefited from privilege. spective English-speaking and it will not only be your loss, but to East; a revival of interest in dialects and the the secretary-general of Huang might feel. vantaged compared to another Singaporeans can draw on “our Mandarin-speaking communi- also a regret in the lifelong jour- mother tongue; and increased awareness of the Clan Association’s youth commit- “I don’t couch it as Chinese privi- group – such as not having their skin own good linguistic, cultural and ties their papers cater to. ney of learning! It is only when need for candid conversations about race relations. tee, to about 40 youth leaders from lege (to avoid sounding ac- colour questioned, for example, or political traditions on how to talk The letters were translated you continually use it in every- Has the Chinese Singaporean identity evolved Chinese clans at a dialogue on cusatory), but as a form of majority not being the subject of racist jokes about race”, she added. and ran in a three-part series day life that you can truly grasp into a completely different entity? Insight Huang Clan Association’s youth committee secretary-general Stanley Ng (left), 32, with association vice-president Benny Ng, 63, on its Geylang premises. Mr Stanley Ng racial and religious harmony con- privilege to remind them of how or slurs – and then prompt them to last week, culminating in spe- its essence.” investigates. says that in recent years, he has been talking to elder clan members about the need to be more conscious of how minority groups may feel. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG ducted by OnePeople.sg chairman they can be more sensitive in every- take steps to address this gap. Yuen Sin