The Promote Mandarin Council, which oversees the Speak Mandarin Campaign, has a new chairman: advertising hotshot Lim Sau Hoong.

A poster girl for advertising and biculturalism here, Ms Lim, who is in her 40s, takes over from Mr Kenneth Tan, 43, chief operating officer of the Media Development Authority.

Mr Tan had stepped down in April.

Ms Lim, chief executive officer of local advertising firm 10AM Communications, said the appointment had come as a 'surprise'.

Initially reluctant to take the helm because of her packed schedule, she agreed out of a sense of national duty. She is already a member of several national committees.

'It's something that I like and it's an important job, so why not?' said the award-winning designer, who is also the visual adviser for the opening of the Beijing Olympics.

Ms Lim said that the campaign will continue with its push to promote Mandarin in the English-speaking crowd.

Another goal would be to look at ways to encourage Mandarin speakers to speak better Mandarin.

'Watching the news, I notice many Chinese Singaporeans who, when interviewed, cannot even speak a proper sentence in Mandarin without adding English words,' she said.

Armed with a degree in Chinese Studies from the National University of Singapore and her experience teaching Chinese at Anglo-Chinese Junior College, where she taught for a year after graduation, Ms Lim believes the difficulties faced by Singaporeans in learning Mandarin are often 'psychological'.

Many people here 'switch off', since they feel English is enough after graduation.

But her experience working with mainland Chinese people tells her otherwise. 'They tell me: You are very rare. Most of your friends don't speak good Mandarin,' she said.

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, which appoints the council, has finalised the members who will be on the new team, which has more people from the creative and media industry.

Ms Lim said that the council will meet within the next few weeks to brainstorm ideas.

She added that the council will look closely at working with Chinese groups and organisations. Future campaigns may tap the new media to draw an online crowd.

Ms Lim said: 'If all Chinese families can make an effort to encourage the younger generation to speak Mandarin, knowing its importance, I think the campaign will be successful.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times on June 1, 2008.