<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Unite to take on the best, PM tells table tennis body
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Much to the delight of spectators, PM Lee and MPs like Mr Seng Han Thong (behind) made their entrance on bicycles at the PAP carnival at West Coast Park yesterday, in keeping with the theme of the event - sports, the environment and family. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->IT IS unfortunate that it happened, but he is glad it is resolved.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong responded to questions about the two- week saga over the Olympic-winning national table tennis team yesterday by urging the players and the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) to work hard towards future success.
Answering questions on the sidelines of a PAP Community Foundation event at West Coast Park yesterday, he said: 'It's a most unfortunate story. I'm glad it's resolved.
'I hope they will look forward and concentrate on building up the team, training and working together, to continue to do well for Singapore.'
In the Olympics men's singles event on Aug 21, Singapore No. 1 Gao Ning played without a coach by his side and lost to a lower-ranked player. The fiasco led to doubts over the future of head coach Liu Guodong, who guided the team to Singapore's first Olympic silver medal in 48 years.
Initially, STTA president Lee Bee Wah said that Liu's fate would be decided by a coaching committee and that team manager Antony Lee's services would no longer be required after Aug 31. Her remarks sparked outrage among Singaporeans.
After Team Singapore returned from Beijing last Monday, Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan promised a full review of the controversy. Last Friday, the matter came to a close following Ms Lee's apology to the nation.
The Prime Minister stressed that total commitment is vital if Singapore wants to be among the best in the world. 'It's very challenging to compete in table tennis. The world's best are very, very good,' he said.
'If we want to be anywhere near there, we have to have all our resources and all our efforts focused in the right direction.'
Thousands thronged the park yesterday for the PAP carnival.
Mr Lee and a host of ministers and MPs made their entrance on bicycles, much to the delight of the spectators.
He presented cheques totalling $664,000 to 17 welfare organisations, the result of fund-raising efforts by ministers and MPs in the North-West District. Fifty polytechnic students also received study awards totalling $100,000 from him.
He also lauded NTUC FairPrice for recognising former weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, 75. The supermarket chain gave the 1960 Olympic silver medallist a cheque for $10,000 on Saturday for winning Singapore's first Olympic medal in Rome.
Mr Lee said: 'I'm glad they did that. It's a good gesture.
=> Doesn't this asshole feel the least bit of SHAME to say this?
'We remember him fondly because for 48 years, he was the one man who broke through and it has taken us a long time to equal his record.'
Silver lining in Gao Ning case: Prime
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Much to the delight of spectators, PM Lee and MPs like Mr Seng Han Thong (behind) made their entrance on bicycles at the PAP carnival at West Coast Park yesterday, in keeping with the theme of the event - sports, the environment and family. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->IT IS unfortunate that it happened, but he is glad it is resolved.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong responded to questions about the two- week saga over the Olympic-winning national table tennis team yesterday by urging the players and the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) to work hard towards future success.
Answering questions on the sidelines of a PAP Community Foundation event at West Coast Park yesterday, he said: 'It's a most unfortunate story. I'm glad it's resolved.
'I hope they will look forward and concentrate on building up the team, training and working together, to continue to do well for Singapore.'
In the Olympics men's singles event on Aug 21, Singapore No. 1 Gao Ning played without a coach by his side and lost to a lower-ranked player. The fiasco led to doubts over the future of head coach Liu Guodong, who guided the team to Singapore's first Olympic silver medal in 48 years.
Initially, STTA president Lee Bee Wah said that Liu's fate would be decided by a coaching committee and that team manager Antony Lee's services would no longer be required after Aug 31. Her remarks sparked outrage among Singaporeans.
After Team Singapore returned from Beijing last Monday, Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan promised a full review of the controversy. Last Friday, the matter came to a close following Ms Lee's apology to the nation.
The Prime Minister stressed that total commitment is vital if Singapore wants to be among the best in the world. 'It's very challenging to compete in table tennis. The world's best are very, very good,' he said.
'If we want to be anywhere near there, we have to have all our resources and all our efforts focused in the right direction.'
Thousands thronged the park yesterday for the PAP carnival.
Mr Lee and a host of ministers and MPs made their entrance on bicycles, much to the delight of the spectators.
He presented cheques totalling $664,000 to 17 welfare organisations, the result of fund-raising efforts by ministers and MPs in the North-West District. Fifty polytechnic students also received study awards totalling $100,000 from him.
He also lauded NTUC FairPrice for recognising former weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, 75. The supermarket chain gave the 1960 Olympic silver medallist a cheque for $10,000 on Saturday for winning Singapore's first Olympic medal in Rome.
Mr Lee said: 'I'm glad they did that. It's a good gesture.
=> Doesn't this asshole feel the least bit of SHAME to say this?
'We remember him fondly because for 48 years, he was the one man who broke through and it has taken us a long time to equal his record.'
Silver lining in Gao Ning case: Prime
