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On 9 August 2011, Singapore will be celebrating our 46th National Day. Being born Singaporeans ourselves, we want to wish all Singaporeans “Happy Birthday!”.
Although we are small, having practically no natural resources & being named a “small red dot”, we have strived hard to do well and have made a name for ourselves in the Global Market. Thank you dear fellow Singaporeans, you have made us proud.
Let us share with you what people said about us: good, honest, warm-hearted, charitable & reliable people.
Objectively, just look at the funds that we raised for each charity drive in the past, it was always huge and exceeded the expectation. We know that many of you have contributed with love from your hearts, that’s what matters most. We also know that some of you have made some small sacrifices on your basic needs in-order to raise the funds. Thank you for your noble acts... Proudly, just look around here, we are truly a nation blessed by God. |
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If you are a foreigner, here’s some basic information to help you integrate into our culture:
Monetary Unit: Singapore Dollar
Major Industries: financial services, petroleum refining, electronics, oil-drilling equipment
Primary Trading Partners: Malaysia, United States, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, India
Key Exports: computer equipment, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment
Key Imports: machinery and equipment, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
Population: have already exceeded 4.4 million
Ethnic Groups: Chinese (77%), Malay (14%), Indian (8%), other (1%)
Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil are all official languages; English is the business language. |
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Reducing Communication Noise
Greetings · Shake hands upon meeting and leaving, with an additional slight bow for the Chinese and older people. · Address people as Mr. , Mrs. , or Miss unless invited to do otherwise. For the Chinese, the family name is first, the middle name next and the given name is last, so that Lee Eng Hock is Mr. Lee.
Conversation · Try talking about the wide variety of cultural arts, the progressive economy, Singapore’s beauty and the excellent shopping. · Soccer, badminton, basketball, water sports, tennis and golf are all popular. · Tasting and /or cooking different food / dishes are common pastimes for most Singaporeans.
Sensitivities · Avoid talking about politics. · Avoid telling jokes unless you know your Singaporean friend well. Singaporeans are friendly, but are not great joke tellers or receivers. Humor is subdued. · Finger gestures, such as the rounded “okay” sign or pointing, is considered rude. · Don’t touch people on the head. |
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Key Pointers · Be punctual for appointments, being late is considered rude. · The concept of face is very important. Public embarrassment would seriously damage, if not end, a potential friendship.
Gender Issues · Singapore is a good place for international business women to do business. · Singaporean women have equal employment, political, and educational rights, and are often highly educated and fill professional positions. |
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With the aforesaid, we have given you sufficient pointers. Now we invite you to celebrate this great day with us on 9 August 2011. See you then!
Last updated: 16 July 2011
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