In a post responding to the incident in which Amy Tashiana shamed a FairPrice staff for being unable to speak English, Mdm Ho Ching said ‘the strength of a Singaporean is our open mindedness to accept all creeds, colours and cultures as equals’.
We accept we are not a perfect people, and we recognise that we have much to learn from others from all over the world,” she wrote.
“Walk around Marina Bay to enjoy the breeze and hear the laughter and chatter of friends and families in all languages,” she said, “and imagine that would be how Singapore sounded in the old days, with all manners of Chinese, Indian Persian, Arabic, as well as regional traders from around us, and Europeans from afar, all doing business, making a living, and some making a home here over time.”
“Don’t shame others for not speaking the language we know. Learn instead as others learn,” she advised.
Being Singaporan is more than just a birthright or a passport, she said.
It is to know that we must make a living through making friends all over the world.
It means to carry ourselves with discipline, respect and humility.
“Brash bravado, and boastful bullying, have no place in the Singapore soul.”
Frustrations can arise when the frontline staff you are dealing with struggles with English or our National language.
Ms Ho Ching pointed out a similar situation that can arise in cafes run by the special needs where the frontline staff may be deaf or mute, or physically disabled in other ways like muscular atrophy. Some may have invisible challenges like autism.
“So we try to either point to pictures for our orders or learn sign language to order black coffee or milk tea,” she said.
In Japan, there are cafes where the frontline staff are seniors who could have dementia. Customers are prepped to expect mistakes and forgotten orders.
We can try to make the world a friendlier and more welcoming place especially for those who are disadvantaged in different ways, and try to give others a chance, Ho Ching said.
