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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Vivian and Ser Luck throw “smoke-bombs” </TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Aug-26 8:55 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 7) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>38037.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Vivian and Ser Luck throw “smoke-bombs” to obfuscate YOG fracas and demonize critics
August 27th, 2010 |
Author: Your Correspondent
Instead of addressing the questions raised by the critics of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) upfront directly and honestly, the two PAP leaders responsible for Singapore’s biggest “wayang” continued to throw “smoke-bombs” to obfuscate the crux of the issue and resorted to using the usual PAP rhetoric of “constructive versus destructive criticisms” to demolish and demonize them.
The Singapore 2010 YOG is doomed to failure right from the very beginning, plagued by lack of genuine interest from Singaporeans and plagued by controversies such as mistreatment of YOG volunteers, a still to be resolved mass food poisoning scandal, ticketing glitches and the arrest of a young YOG critic for an innocuous Facebook comment by the Singapore police.
In a press conference two days ago, PAP Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his sidekick Teo Ser Luck tried rather unconvincingly to put up a defence for their abysmal performance. Not only did they refuse to apologize to Singaporeans for the YOG debacle, they lash out at the critics for not “appreciating” their hard work.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said nonchalantly that he ignored critics who did not give him any “constructive criticisms”:
“There are many people who are critical but constructive who send me suggestions on how to improve the games. They make a difference and improve our performance. Of course there are other people who just want to criticize. I didn’t bother. Then there is the newspaper report (about the arrest of YOG critic Mr Abdul Malik), I didn’t know about it till I read in the papers, it showed I almost didn’t care. I have good feedback and suggestions from so many people,” he was heard as saying on RazorTV.
[Source: RazorTV]
Mr Malik’s arrest was reported by international media agency Agence France-Presse which minced no words in its verdict on the YOG:
“The August 14-26 event, held for competitors aged from 14 to 18, has generated limited public interest, with many events blighted by empty seats and the host country’s athletes faring badly. Vivian Balakrishnan, the minister for community development, youth and sports, has come under particular fire from online critics over the games.”
[Source: AFP, 25 August 2010]
The report was reproduced worldwide, reinforcing Singapore’s poor international image as a repressive police state.
Mr Teo Ser Luck, the PAP Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sports, was almost in tears as he tried to win the sympathy of his detractors.
“We all work so hard, especially 20,000 volunteers, athletes, coaches and officials, everybody give out so many sweat and tears. The least the critics can do is to appreciate their efforts. If they don’t support for whatever political reasons, they should not also take away the good things and hard work that have been done,” he said.
After all had been said, it is most unfortunate that Mr Teo still didn’t quite get it. Nobody is against the YOG volunteers, athletes and staff. What we are adamantly critical about is the way the games were managed, especially where the welfare of our volunteers and students are concerned.
If the online community did not blow the whistle on the substandard food given to YOG volunteers, would the organizers have bothered and change the food caterer?
At the end of the day, the YOG is about young Singaporeans and as such their opinions, welfare and contributions must be taken into consideration by the organizers. Treating our YOG volunteers like dirt while rolling out the red carpet for foreigners is definitely not a way to win the “hearts and minds” of the youth.
It remains to be seen Singaporeans will ever know how the $387 million dollars is being spent or splurged on the YOG. With no opposition in Parliament to demand for some basic accountaability from Dr Vivian and Mr Teo, the issue is likely to fade away with time.
[Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.]
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights.
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The Singapore 2010 YOG is doomed to failure right from the very beginning, plagued by lack of genuine interest from Singaporeans and plagued by controversies such as mistreatment of YOG volunteers, a still to be resolved mass food poisoning scandal, ticketing glitches and the arrest of a young YOG critic for an innocuous Facebook comment by the Singapore police.
In a press conference two days ago, PAP Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his sidekick Teo Ser Luck tried rather unconvincingly to put up a defence for their abysmal performance. Not only did they refuse to apologize to Singaporeans for the YOG debacle, they lash out at the critics for not “appreciating” their hard work.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said nonchalantly that he ignored critics who did not give him any “constructive criticisms”:
“There are many people who are critical but constructive who send me suggestions on how to improve the games. They make a difference and improve our performance. Of course there are other people who just want to criticize. I didn’t bother. Then there is the newspaper report (about the arrest of YOG critic Mr Abdul Malik), I didn’t know about it till I read in the papers, it showed I almost didn’t care. I have good feedback and suggestions from so many people,” he was heard as saying on RazorTV.
[Source: RazorTV]
Mr Malik’s arrest was reported by international media agency Agence France-Presse which minced no words in its verdict on the YOG:
“The August 14-26 event, held for competitors aged from 14 to 18, has generated limited public interest, with many events blighted by empty seats and the host country’s athletes faring badly. Vivian Balakrishnan, the minister for community development, youth and sports, has come under particular fire from online critics over the games.”
[Source: AFP, 25 August 2010]
The report was reproduced worldwide, reinforcing Singapore’s poor international image as a repressive police state.
Mr Teo Ser Luck, the PAP Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sports, was almost in tears as he tried to win the sympathy of his detractors.
“We all work so hard, especially 20,000 volunteers, athletes, coaches and officials, everybody give out so many sweat and tears. The least the critics can do is to appreciate their efforts. If they don’t support for whatever political reasons, they should not also take away the good things and hard work that have been done,” he said.
After all had been said, it is most unfortunate that Mr Teo still didn’t quite get it. Nobody is against the YOG volunteers, athletes and staff. What we are adamantly critical about is the way the games were managed, especially where the welfare of our volunteers and students are concerned.
If the online community did not blow the whistle on the substandard food given to YOG volunteers, would the organizers have bothered and change the food caterer?
At the end of the day, the YOG is about young Singaporeans and as such their opinions, welfare and contributions must be taken into consideration by the organizers. Treating our YOG volunteers like dirt while rolling out the red carpet for foreigners is definitely not a way to win the “hearts and minds” of the youth.
It remains to be seen Singaporeans will ever know how the $387 million dollars is being spent or splurged on the YOG. With no opposition in Parliament to demand for some basic accountaability from Dr Vivian and Mr Teo, the issue is likely to fade away with time.
[Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.]
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>