Blame LKY for his 'Speak Mandarin' campaign. He ruined dialects too. Ham-fisted meddling technocrats always ruin things. Very often, their so-called 'solution' is either worse than the problem itself, or introduces additional problems. Akan datang... 'Goal 2034'.
But they have to do what they have to do, because a bloated govt needs to invent things to do to justify its own existence.
P.S: I have no problems conversing with ATBs. In fact, they often ask where I'm from, thinking I'm a fellow Tiong.
P.S #2: There must be many FTs in Sinkieland, often two Sinkies who first meet ask each other "Excuse me are you a Singaporean?"... because let's face it, it's not easy to tell anymore.