Simplified Chinese, in effect, is the written form employed both at an official and colloquial level in Singapore. The country, as part of its broader strategy to promote literacy among its Chinese-speaking population, adopted Simplified Chinese characters in the 1960s. By nature, Simplified Chinese characters have fewer strokes as compared to Traditional Chinese characters; thus, they are much easier to learn and write.
Then again, the adoption of Simplified Chinese coincided with the government’s policies on education and modernization. This was especially true during the formative years as Singapore found its footing in nation-building as an independent country. Since then, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore has integrated the use of Simplified Chinese into the school curriculum when children begin to read and write.
While Simplified Chinese is, of course, the major form used, Traditional Chinese is nonetheless recognized and employed in certain contexts, especially within some communities, in some cultural practices, and among sections of older generations. For instance, religious texts, various publications, and sometimes organizations or individuals that have retained their ties to regions where Traditional Chinese is the norm, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, use traditional characters.
This is also reflected in the usage of the media landscape in Singapore. Most newspapers, books, and educational materials published for the Chinese-speaking community are in Simplified Chinese. However, a number of niche markets maintain Traditional Chinese, while cultural organizations exist to serve those audiences who either prefer or have a need for traditional characters.
In short, though both varieties of Chinese are adopted, the standard script used in Singapore is Simplified Chinese. The government’s education policy and the influences of globalization have only strengthened the use of Simplified characters among the population. For this reason, in every business or communication dealing in Singapore, the use of Simplified Chinese is important if it is to meaningfully reach the community which speaks Chinese.