Why Did Malaysia and Singapore Abandon Traditional Characters and Adopt Simplified Characters?
In Singapore and Malaysia, one can observe subtle differences in the use of Chinese characters.
Malaysia's Approach
Malaysia uses a "simplified characters as the main, traditional and simplified characters combined" approach.
Headlines in newspapers and signboards are often in traditional characters, while the content is in simplified characters.
Singapore's Approach
Singapore, on the other hand, almost entirely uses simplified characters.
Chinese Newspapers in Malaysia
In Malaysia, newspaper headlines are in traditional characters, while the main text is in simplified characters.
Despite these differences, Chinese education in both Singapore and Malaysia has fully adopted simplified Chinese characters.
Historical Background
China started using simplified characters in the 1950s, so how did Singapore and Malaysia reach a consensus on switching to simplified characters?
The Process of Simplifying Chinese Characters in Singapore
1. 1965: Singapore's Independence
2. 1969: Singapore created its own list of simplified characters, different from Mainland China's.
3. 1976: Singapore fully adopted Mainland China's simplified characters.
Reasons Behind Singapore's Shift to Mainland China's Simplified Characters
1. Practicality: Singapore has a diverse population, primarily using English for daily communication.
Chinese Singaporeans, with weaker Chinese proficiency, found it difficult to learn traditional characters.
Lee Kuan Yew once said, "Most of Singapore's Chinese are descendants of illiterate laborers with no land; simplified characters are easier to master."
2. Diplomatic Strategy: To avoid suspicion from neighboring countries, Singapore initially adopted its own simplified characters in 1969 to prevent being seen as "another China."
During this period, Malaysia and Indonesia experienced severe racial conflicts, and the Chinese community lived in fear.
Lee Kuan Yew stated, "Only after all Southeast Asian countries established diplomatic relations with China could Singapore do the same."
3. International Environment Changes: After the 1970s, Sino-American relations improved.
In 1974, China established diplomatic relations with Malaysia, and in 1975 with Thailand. Changes in neighboring countries' attitudes toward China, combined with Singapore's small population, increased the cost of communication with the Chinese world using its own characters.
Thus, in 1976, Singapore fully adopted Mainland China's simplified characters.
Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to China was in 1976, and although Singapore officially established diplomatic relations with China in October 1990, their official relationship had already started to tighten after his visit. Throughout his life, Lee Kuan Yew visited China over 30 times.
Singapore's decision to adopt simplified characters was based on practical considerations, reducing the cost of learning Chinese from the perspective of the Chinese community's impoverished background, and leveraging the easing international environment to achieve the goal of adopting Mainland China's simplified characters.
The Process of Simplifying Chinese Characters in Malaysia
1. 1972: The "Malaysian Chinese Character Simplification Committee" was established.
2. 1981: Following Singapore's full adoption of simplified characters in 1976, Malaysia published a comprehensive list of simplified characters.
3. 1983: The Malaysian Ministry of Education announced the use of Pinyin and simplified characters in Chinese schools.
Reasons Behind Malaysia's Simplification of Chinese Characters
1. Chinese Education Crisis: In the 1960s, racial tensions were frequent.
The Malaysian government required schools to use Malay, or else they would lose subsidies and be excluded from the national education system.
Under such suppressive policies, 55 out of 72 Chinese secondary schools switched to using Malay.
Those unwilling to change became independent Chinese schools (self-funded).
The Chinese community felt a sense of crisis, believing that simplified characters could lower the learning threshold and bring a glimmer of hope.
2. Reference to Singapore's Experience: Singapore, being a predominantly Chinese country, served as a reference for Malaysia, where Chinese are the second-largest ethnic group.
Malaysia considered Singapore's experience in issuing its own simplified characters in 1969, believing that simplified characters could increase the possibility of preserving Chinese culture in an "unfriendly racial environment."
Malaysia's decision to simplify Chinese characters was influenced by discriminatory policies against Chinese education and a sense of crisis, drawing on Singapore's approach.
Different Reasons for Adopting Simplified Characters
Singapore's adoption of simplified characters was primarily for practical reasons, reducing the learning cost from the impoverished background of the Chinese community, combined with international changes.
Malaysia's decision was influenced by domestic political environment and discriminatory policies against Chinese education, drawing on Singapore's experience, hoping to protect Chinese education through simplified characters.
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