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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=030275710-19122006>This intereresting letter from the Straits Times was
reprinted on a Singlish discussion group.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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class=030275710-19122006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=030275710-19122006>Anthea</SPAN></FONT></DIV><!-- Converted from text/plain format --><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>* *
* * *<BR>Anthea Fraser Gupta
(Dr)<BR>School of English, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
<www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg><BR>NB: Reply to
a.f.gupta@leeds.ac.uk<BR>* *
* * *<BR> </FONT> </P>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> singlish@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:singlish@yahoogroups.com] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Jack Tsen-Ta
Lee<BR><B>Sent:</B> 19 December 2006 03:07<BR><B>To:</B>
singlish@yahoogroups.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [singlish] ST: Mandarin Requirement
Deprives Her of a Job<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P>The Straits Times<BR><A
href="http://www.straitstimes.com">http://www.straitst<WBR>imes.com</A><BR>Dec
19, 2006<BR><BR>Mandarin requirement deprives her of a job <BR><BR>MY LAST
part-time job was as a call-centre agent. When I left and <BR>started looking
for a full-time job through the newspaper and the <BR>Internet, I was both
disappointed and frustrated. Besides requiring <BR>applicants to be able to
speak English, companies also require them <BR>to speak Mandarin. Even an
American MNC required Mandarin-speaking <BR>staff. <BR><BR>There were times when
I called up a company which did not state <BR>anything about language
requirements. After telling a staff member <BR>about my qualifications, my hopes
would be dashed when he/she asked <BR>if I could speak in Chinese.
<BR><BR>However, I am also aware that there are certain jobs requiring other
<BR>languages, such as Malay, Tamil or even Tagalog. My concern is, will <BR>the
minorities in Singapore be able to survive in this job market? <BR><BR>It would
be much more pleasant to live and work here if we went back <BR>to requiring
English as the main language for all jobs. <BR><BR>Nurwati Ya'akop
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