Mr Steven Chia, Chairman, Organising Committee of the 37th YMCA Plain English Speaking Awards 2024, and Director, YMCA of Singapore
Ms Wu Mei Ling, General Secretary & CEO, YMCA of Singapore
Members of the Organising Committee
Judges
Our students
Ladies and Gentlemen
Introduction
1. Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to be here as we celebrate the achievements of our prize winners in this year's PESA competition.
2. I am firstly most heartened to know that the number of participants this year has reached a new record of 868 participants, clearly showing how more of us recognise the importance of clear and effective communication.
3. If I may add, this afternoon, I would like to focus on the 'E' in the acronym PESA, that is, the use of English.
Use of English as Working Language
4. In the most recent national census in 2020, we learnt that almost half of Singaporeans speak English most commonly at home. That is an increase, compared to the previous census in 2010 where about one third did so. If we rewind further into our earlier years, most of your parents and grandparents wouldn't have been speaking English at home.
5. So, how has English grown so strongly in importance through the years then? For a start, English as a language has been particularly important to our multiracial and multilingual Singapore. For a newly independent nation like Singapore, English was then best-placed as a neutral language for all ethnic groups. It helped to bring us together as a people.
6. English thus became the default medium for our forefathers to trade, to work with and to use in the civil service. Using English enabled us to have access to the latest developments and innovations be it in science, technology or commerce.
7. It was also a strategic way for Singapore to be plugged into the global stage, for the world to hear Singapore's voice and for us to be active players in the global economy, where English was (and still is) the main working language.
Concise Use of Language
8. Then you might ask, what about the focus on clear and concise communication? Let me share a little anecdote about a time when there were financial costs associated with the length of communication. In the past, we didn't have WhatsApp voice calls. Communications with friends and family overseas were mainly done through letter writers, and telegrams sent through telegraph companies – not the Telegram chat the young people are familiar with today, but actual telegram notes that were transmitted over long-distance wires. You had to be clear and concise, because you were charged by the number of words in your message.
9. Probably the most famous local anecdote was shared by our former Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong. He cited a telegram written by his father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in 1958. In it, the late Mr Lee who was then in Sarawak wrote home: "Arriving today battleship = LeeKuanYew".
10. After some confusion among the family throughout the day, they eventually learnt that, no, the late Mr Lee was not returning to Singapore by battleship. He had wanted steam boat for dinner but, as 'steam boat' was two words at that time, he wrote 'battleship' instead to save money. Suffice to say, nobody had steam boat that night.
11. Of course, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's dinner disappointment is just an individual anecdote of how in being concise, word choice affects clarity of message.
Language as a Bridge
12. While technological developments have allowed us to connect with one another more easily today, instances of misunderstandings or conflict over words are still taking place. Most times they may be unintentional; or perhaps something is lost in translation. Other times, these misunderstandings may be harder to resolve with far reaching implications.
13. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps furthered the sense that distance brings us safety. With sustained social distancing, relationships drift even further apart, and it may have become harder to create connections between people.
14. This is not the world we wish to live in, however. Instead, we should actively shape the world we want to live in, by building bridges through the way we communicate with people.
15. It is in this light that I would like to share some reflections on three crucial messages:
- how it's important to be understood,
- how it's important to understand others, and
- how, by putting these two together, we can build bridges, and help create better understanding among everyone in this divided world.
To Be Understood – the Need for Clarity.
16. In a world where information is abundant and opinions are diverse, clarity is more essential than ever.
17. Clear communication is not just about speaking well; it is about ensuring your message is understood in the way you intend it to be.
18. It is about precision, coherence, and making sure your audience can follow and engage with your ideas.
19. Your speeches today have shown us the power of clear communication.
20. Our Pre-school and Primary students had the chance to share what they love about their school, and if they had a superpower, what they would do with it.
21. Whether they were discussing personal experiences, sharing insightful observations, or presenting persuasive arguments, they demonstrated how important it is to articulate their thoughts with clarity.
22. When we communicate clearly, we cut through the noise and reach our audience effectively. We ensure that our ideas are not lost in ambiguity, but are conveyed in a way that resonates and easily grasped by our listeners.
To Understand – Developing Empathy for Others.
23. From being understood, let me now move on to understanding others, the next step for meaningful communication to take place.
24. Understanding others involves empathy, listening, and genuinely trying to see things from another person's perspective.
25. In a world that often feels divided, taking the time to understand where others are coming from can bridge gaps and create connections.
26. I am especially happy to learn that our secondary and post-secondary semi-finalists had the opportunity to be involved in YMCA programmes. Our students did art and craft, Zumba, games and hiking together with YMCA's beneficiaries involving people with special needs. Thereafter, our students crafted speeches to share their personal experiences.
27. In their speeches, many of them highlighted the importance of empathy and the value of seeing things from different viewpoints. This understanding allows us to connect on a deeper level, to appreciate diverse experiences, and to engage in conversations that are more than just surface-level exchanges.
28. By striving to understand others, we acknowledge their experiences, validate their feelings, and create an environment where everyone feels heard and respected.
29. This is crucial in a world where it seems like we are simply talking past each other, rather than with each other.
To Create Understanding – Building Bridges, Not Walls, Between People.
30. Now we put together the two elements that I have spoken about: When you merge the clarity of your message with a genuine effort to understand your audience, you have, in your hands, a powerful tool for connection and reconciliation.
31. This combination is essential to bridge divides and foster dialogue.
32. Building bridges through communication requires integrating both skills to create a dialogue that respects diverse perspectives, while finding common ground.
33. It is about using the power of your words, to not only convey your own ideas, but to engage in a meaningful exchange where different viewpoints can come together.
34. Your speeches illustrated how combining these skills can make a difference.
35. This approach allows us to address disagreements constructively, resolve differences with empathy, and work collaboratively towards shared solutions. In doing so, dialogue can be a force for unity rather than division.
36. How does that help us in Singapore today? It is no secret that the multiculturalism we experience in Singapore today is much-admired by the world.
37. In 2017, then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reminded us in a speech, that "there is nothing natural about where we are – multiracial, multi-religious, tolerant and progressive. We made it happen, and we have got to protect it, nurture it, preserve it, and never break it."
38. Hence, by using your powers of clear communication to bridge understanding among people, you will play a critical role in protecting, nurturing and preserving what we have in Singapore today.
Closing
39. After the entire speech, you must be thinking: how practical is this? We must be practical because when you speak and when you are confident and competent, you have a gift. With that responsibility, you will speak well, speak right and speak for good. There are actually four tenets that you need to remember – complete, clear, concise and accurate communication.
40. When you speak up, you are doing so for those who do not have a voice, and to amplify their sense and relevance in this journey. I hope that you will continue to do well while sharing your gifts generously with those who are not here, so that together, we can express ourselves confidently and competently. With that, I would like to congratulate all winners and I hope to see you again next year.