Netizens React with Memes to Josephine Teo's Comments on Pritam Singh's English Test Proposal

SINGAPORE: In recent news, Workers’ Party chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh advocated having an English test for Singapore citizens and permanent resident applications. Second Minister for Home Affairs, Josephine Teo, responded by sharing her doubts about the advocacy. In response to this, netizens have gathered over a meme making reference to this issue.

“Me, fail English? That’s impossible,” a post read. An online user took to social media on Monday (March 6) to share a meme that made reference to this issue regarding an English test.

The meme shared a headline on Mr Singh’s advocacy and Ms Teo’s reservations. Below the meme were the words, “Yeah, those are exactly my sentimonies.”

Many netizens took to the comments section of the post to share their sentiments on the matter. Most did so by purposefully commenting on things using incorrect grammar. “I call my dog ‘the goodest boi’,” said one. “Many Singaporeans would fail any English test,” wrote another. “Ain’t talking just about the illiterate boomers neither.”

“Good, gooder, goodest, gooderderestest,” wrote a third.

In recent news, Singaporeans responded in support of Mr Singh’s advocating for English language proficiency tests. This came after the opposition leader made an appeal to the government to include this requirement, noting the importance of English for vocational and educational opportunities.

Though Ms Teo made comments suggesting that implementing such a test would be elitist and discriminatory, many others took her comments as a sign that she is not in touch with reality. Many argued that many Singaporeans are not fluent in English.

Some even went so far as to say that Ms Teo lives in an ivory tower. Many other netizens backed Mr Singh online.