[WhatDoYouThink!]

Couldn’t , 100% couldn’t 
Yet want to bluff that he could
I can say “My name is Oei Hong Leong” in Mandarin, in Cantonese, in Hainanese, in Korean, in Japanese, in Malay, in Thai, in Filipino 
But it doesn’t mean I can speak or understand Mandarin, Cantonese, Hainanese, Korean, Japanese, Malay, Thai, Filipino 
First impression already he’s being dishonest

He should have told the reporter, “ sorry, during my time, we didn’t study Mandarin, but I can understand a bit. If I am elected, I promise I will make an effort to learn Mandarin to connect with my people...”
Something like that la!
Instead of, starting of, you want to lie like a Thambi

Right, just say he couldn't speak and most ppl are ok. So far only otc could speak mandarin and Singaporeans are fine with it