They do speak Chinese but heavily accented, that's all. Singaporeans speak better Chinese? I seriously don't think so. It is not merely about pronunciation but the ability to express oneself with the appropriate phrases.
Older PRC? Well, just listen to Chairman Mao!
Well, there is actually a difference when you consider different races among the them. China is not a homogeneous society, although most of them are Hans who speak Chinese/Mandarin, along with their own dialects.
You don't need to travel to far to make your point. Just take Hong Kong. Many older Hong Kongers don't speak Mandarin or Putonghua. Its basically because their TV stations and official language used is Cantonese.
When in this context, I am talking about well educated Chinese firing away. Have you heard them talk before? Not many Singaporeans understand what they talking about and just
presumed that they are speaking dialect.
Goh Meng Seng