In 24 hours' time, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will take over the reins from Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong to become the country's fourth head of government.

Working on mastering Malay and Mandarin

Is he well prepared for the role? And if so, what were some of the preparations he made?

Wong spilt the beans in a nearly one-hour interview with Mothership and other local media on May 10, 2024, saying that he has been brushing up on his Malay and Mandarin.

Wong's predecessors — PM Lee, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and the late-founding PM Lee Kuan Yew — were able to engage and connect with the different corners of Singapore's society as they could speak in more than one language.

Wong, on the other hand, considers himself "well versed" in English but admitted during the interview that he is still working on mastering Malay and Mandarin.

Grew up in a predominantly English-speaking environment

He has said more than once that he grew up in a predominantly English-speaking environment where his parents spoke mostly in English with some Malay and dialect in between.

Wong's late father, who grew up in Ipoh, learnt Malay instead of Mandarin, and even described himself as an O-C-B-C, or Orang Cina Bukan Cina, which when loosely translated means "Chinese person [but] not Chinese" in Malay.

His mother grew up in a Malay kampung in Singapore.

Struggled with studying Mandarin in school all his life

As a result, Wong did not have an easy time learning Mandarin.

During the interview, Wong revealed: "I have studied Mandarin in school all my life and also struggled with studying Mandarin in school all of my life."

And it is not for the lack of trying.

"I took Mandarin classes seriously, I studied Mandarin seriously.

It is just that I did not have the benefit of growing up in a family environment where we spoke Mandarin regularly."

Practice, practice, practice

Stating that his foundations in reading and writing Mandarin are "all there" and even better than some friends who grew up in a Mandarin-speaking environment, Wong said what he simply needs is regular practice.

"I have to make the effort and have the discipline to keep making sure I improve my ability to speak and engage in Mandarin on a regular basis now."

But do not be mistaken about his Mandarin abilities, Wong can speak and hold a conversation in Mandarin.

He has delivered PM Lee's National Day Message in 2022, fielded questions at the Covid-19 multi-ministry taskforce (MTF) press conferences, completed whole media interviews, and all done in Mandarin.

Taking Mandarin lessons

But when it comes to being confident in his ability to use Mandarin for work, Wong conceded that he still has some ways to go.

"It is about gaining confidence over time, using it not just on a conversational basis ... to start using it, going beyond that conversational Mandarin to using it for work, using it for interviews. So that is a higher level or that is my next phase in my Mandarin journey and I hope I will continue to get better at it."

In the meantime, Wong is doing all he can get by taking Mandarin language lessons in the past one or two years.

Also taking Malay lessons

Wong shared that he has also renewed his focus on improving his grasp on Malay — a process he has begun in earnest.

"I am taking Malay language lessons; I am doing it as best I can every week. It is not something only now, I have been doing it off and on.

But now ever since the appointment as DPM – for close to two years now – I have been taking the lessons more seriously too."

While he said he can deliver a speech in Malay, he thinks it will be "much, much harder" to be fluent and able to engage completely in Malay.

But Wong is not giving up.

"Because I do want to engage more in Malay, speak in Malay, so it is a continuing process ... but never say never, just keep on working at it and trying to get better."

As a result, Wong shared that he is taking Mandarin lessons less frequently than his Malay ones, only taking them from "time to time".

@mothershipsg #linkinbiofor more highlights from Lawrence Wong's speech at the PAP conference #tiktoksg #sgnews ♬ original sound .sg - Mothership

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Top image screenshot from 8world/YouTube and Ministry of Education/YouTube