Second Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng- cheong echoed this sentiment, saying, "English is the language used by many different ethnic groups to communicate, and it has brought us development and progress, but the mother tongue is what brings self respect and a sense of identification."
第二副總理王鼎昌也重申，「英語是多元種族方便溝通的語言，也帶來發展和進步；母語則是建立自尊和認同感的語文。」