Tay Wee Ling, Senior Assistant Director of Communications & Engagement Department at the Parliament Secretariat, in response to media queries from Chinese media outlet 8WorldNews and letters from readers to The Straits Times, clarified that the use of dialects or non-official languages is limited to brief instances.
In a statement on Tuesday (17 March), Tay noted that the rules governing parliamentary language and conduct ensure that proceedings remain accessible and comprehensible to all Singaporeans, in line with our multicultural and multilingual society.
The longstanding practice, whereby full speeches by Members of Parliament must be conducted in the official languages—English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil—has not changed and remains in place.
Tay said Members from both sides of the House, including ministers, have occasionally included a short phrase or quote in dialect or other languages to illustrate a point. Such expressions, however, are the exception.
Tay assured that maintaining appropriate decorum and professionalism, including the use of languages, will remain key priorities in Parliament.
Liew Kai Khiun Advocates for Official Languages in Parliament to Ensure Clarity and Fairness
Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng’s Cantonese quip in Parliament on 7 March sparked discussion among Singaporeans, drawing attention both locally and abroad, including in Hong Kong and China.
However, Liew Kai Khiun, Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, in an opinion piece argued that using only official languages in Parliament ensures clarity, accuracy, and fairness in debates, preventing confusion among those unfamiliar with dialects.
Liew, who is also a former Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow, questioned whether the use of Cantonese would set a precedent that could complicate communication and translation in parliamentary records.
He emphasised that maintaining the four official languages levels the playing field and ensures all Singaporeans can understand debates.
In contrast, Chan Pak Chuen praised Tan’s use of Cantonese, calling it a refreshing change that effectively conveyed emotion and meaning.
He believed the remark’s impact would have been weaker if delivered in English or Mandarin, highlighting the expressive power of dialects.
Chan also suggested that younger Singaporeans should gain more exposure to dialects to strengthen cultural ties locally and internationally.
Dr Tan Criticises Leong Mun Wai for Rejecting Repeated Explanations on Labour Issues
On 7 March 2025, Dr Tan criticised Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai for repeatedly refusing to accept explanations on labour issues that had already been addressed in previous sittings, following Leong’s persistent attempts to obtain clarity on labour statistics of workers in Singapore.
Leong, in his clarification, had asked about the displacement of existing resident PMETs by work pass holders who later obtained permanent residency, as well as the prevalence and reasons for underemployment.
He questioned whether the Minister could explain why there was no need for concern over the proportion of part-time workers among all employed residents increasing from 8.4% in 2009 to 10.1% in 2023.
He also asked the Minister to provide the corresponding increase in resident contract workers over the same period.
Additionally, he asked the Minister whether he agreed that, while wage growth in Singapore may be faster than in some developed countries like the UK, it is meaningless if it is still insufficient to keep up with the escalating cost of living and housing prices in Singapore.
Dr Tan stated that locally born Singapore citizens made up the bulk—63%—of the growth in the number of residents holding professional, managerial, executive, or technical (PMET) jobs from 2014 to 2024.
However, he also noted that one-third of these PMETs were converted from non-PMET roles, meaning that the increase was not entirely due to job creation but rather a reclassification. (read our explanation here).
He added that many naturalised Singaporeans and permanent residents, who were included in the overall figure of 382,000 jobs created during that period, were married to locally born Singaporeans.
“We should not keep harping on an ‘us-versus-them’ mentality because Singapore is a largely immigrant nation. We are all here because we love this country,” he said.
Following a clarification from the Ministry of National Development in response to Leong’s remarks on housing, Dr Tan stepped up and directed a remark at Leong, quoting a well-known phrase from the 2004 Hong Kong film Blood Brothers, starring Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung.
Delivered in Cantonese, his statement implied that no matter how an explanation was given, it would not be accepted or acted upon correctly. The remark drew laughter from People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament in the House.
Dr Tan said:
“Even if I’d said it, you wouldn’t listen to it. Even if you’d heard me, you wouldn’t understand. Even if you understood, you wouldn’t do it. Even if you did it, you would do it wrongly. Even if you did wrong, you wouldn’t own up to it. Even if you owned up, you wouldn’t correct yourself. Even if you corrected yourself, you did so begrudgingly. What do you want me to do?”
In response to reports of Dr Tan’s remarks, many Cantonese speakers interpreted the statement as dismissive and condescending.
However, Leong was unable to respond immediately, as the ministers had taken up the time allocated for the debate, and the session ended due to the guillotine rule.
Leong Mun Wai’s response
On 8 March, Leong addressed the incident in a Facebook video. He shared that during a meeting with residents, he was asked about the Minister’s remarks.
Leong stated that his persistent questioning in Parliament stemmed from Singaporeans’ concerns about employment.
He highlighted that the data provided by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) combined figures for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs), making it difficult to assess job creation for locally born citizens.
According to him, Dr Tan refused to provide separate data, which led to his continued questioning in Parliament.
He suggested that despite not receiving the requested information, Dr Tan still made a fuss over the issue.
He said, “It is understandable. Since the Minister is in a high and mighty position, how would he understand the plight of ordinary citizens?”
Leong asserted that his role was to seek transparency, and he believed Singaporeans understood the party’s approach.
He ended with an impactful remark: “Fairness is in the hearts of the people.”
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