TR EMERITUS

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's forlorn dream of getting his mega $387 million dollar "vanity fair" - the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games on the "world map" has finally materialized albeit in a less than desirable manner. The YOG Gymnastics Final last Sunday may have attracted little attention from Singaporeans who are distracted by the Cubs' 2 - 0 loss to Haiti in the semi-finals of the YOG soccer game, but certainly not genuine gymnasts and enthusiasts around the world. Over at the forum of reputed gymnast magazine "International Gymnast", angry and bemused fans took turns to take pot shots at the two commentators for the events whose pathetic performance already make a former national gymnast champion Mr Alex Liang cringe. In a letter addressed to the Singapore YOG organizing committee, Mr Liang wrote that he was "mortified" by the choice of the two commentators for the event: "Your commentators for the event were a two men team – one of whom is an American and the other is a local. Neither know much about gymnastics – now I don’t expect them to have the kind of technical knowledge a professional gymnast or coach may possess, but it seemed that they had done a crash course on gymnastics terminlogy, possibly read up a few pages on the internet and were throwing completely random terms during the broadcast, trying to bluff their way through the event quite unconvincingly." The YOG commentators' lack of knowledge and expertise in the sports was ruthlessly exposed by the forumers in the "International Gymnast" forum. Below are some comments from the international gymnast community on the YOG Gymnastics Final: myGymnast: "Hahaha!!! It's sad to think that they were paid anything for it when so many of us would have gladly done a much better job for FREE!" Senor Nico: "Some of my favorite quotes from them during qualification.... "It's literally the balance beam." "She's a large gymnast, so it takes more real estate to tumble on the beam." - referring to the Chilean gymnast who would give Monica Phelps nightmares for life "More difficult than apple pie." - Viktoriya Komova's beam difficulty "She recovered so gracefully!" - South Korean gymnast putting her hands down on her double tuck on floor" Dee: "Tuck squish" was definitely my favorite, along with the apple pie references. I actually found the commentators extremely amusing....they were just so clueless and absurd." 481095ymg: "Personally, I really enjoy these commentators: ) they make me laugh out loud : ) if there weren't stupid people in the world, who would we laugh at? We'd be bored out of our minds. That's all for now, I have to go practice my tuck squishes." shallowandpedantic: "Someone commented last night that it was like watching Sesame Street. HILARIOUS! All that was missing was some thunder and lightening when he yelled 'SIX'.....do they comment for the men's competition also?.....I wonder if the count how much circles each of the men do on pommels?....LOL." AndromedaAiken: "Every jump or leap to them is just a jump. A wolf jump was called a jump with kick in the air and apparently "an uncommon jump". HELLO?! Almost every single gymnast on BB does it. The sheep jump was also called a jump with a kick. SIGH. Stalders are "tuck squishes". Handstands are "verticality". Where did the YOG people DIG these two up from?! Is there any email or something we could send feedback to? I really want to talk to someone about this!! LOL." [Source: International Gymnast Forum] (Please take note that the above comments from foreigners and not the usual PAP critics.) In an interview with BBC News last week, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said rather nonchalantly that he would still bid for the YOG at the present overblown budget: "I think this is not a trifling amount. But it is an amount that will give us value for money in terms of positioning ourselves, in terms of marketing ourselves, in terms of making sure we are on everyone's radar screen the next time they make an investment decision, the next time they decide to site an international or regional headquarters or the next time they decide to expand their business." [Source: BBC News, 15 August 2010] Last Sunday's YOG Gymnastics Finals has surely put Singapore on the "radar screen", at least for those interested in the sports. One thing for sure, the International Gymnastics Federation will not be knocking on Singapore's door anytime soon to host a competition after yet another embarrassing boo-boo coming from the highest paid sports minister in the entire world. [Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.] Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.     Related articles: >> Former national gymnast champion criticized YOG commentators >> SFI forced to outsource preparation of volunteers’ food to another caterer >> Exposing the hypocrises of Vivian Balakrishnan >> Online petition demanding public apology from Dr Vivian >> Singapore schools forced to pay for YOG tickets >> Thomas Bach: High cost of YOG a concern >> Jacques Rogge: YOG is perfect promotion for Singapore >> Countering Straits Times ‘hogwash that YOG has caugh the “eyes” of the international media >> Jacques Rogge: YOG is a resounding success >> YOG volunteer: not much improvement in food >> Dr Vivian: YOG glitches unavoidable >> Petition demanding Dr Vivian to apologize >> YOG food poisoning scandal: Open letter to Dr Vivian >> Live maggot found in YOG food >> Ng Ser Miang: YOG gets positive reviews >> Kuo Chuan Primary School principal admits to blackmailing students >> Parents should pull children out of YOG >> No apology from Dr Vivian on YOG food poisoning scandal >> Massive outcry over screw-ups in YOG ticketing >> Why Ng Ser Miang should resign as Chairman of SYOGOC >> Dr Vivian: probe into YOG food poisoning scandal will take time >> PRC photographer fell down from temporary platform at YOG venue >> Cover-up of YOG food poisoning scandal? >> NEA, MOH to probe YOG mass food poisoning outbreak  >> Singaporeans “enslaved” by YOG organizing commitee >> Kuo Chuan Primary School students forced to pay $5 to attend YOG >> Singapore students forced to welcome YOG torch rally >> Mass food poisoning outbreak at YOG venue yesterday? >> YOG! What YOG? >> Canvas roof at YOG fell apart >> Zaqy Mohd defends MCYS >> Singapore students “invited” to attend YOG event >> Singapore volunteers forced to work long hours without rest for YOG >> PM Lee caught napping at YOG opening ceremony? >> Disaster at YOG opening ceremony >> 8 reasons why I am disappointed with YOG opening ceremony >> Netizens lampooned YOG opening ceremony >> No news of YOG opening ceremony in rest of the world >> MOE teacher: How students can stay out of YOG >> YOG Webcast server crashed >> SFI promises to improve “DOG” food for volunteers >> Primary school students stand in the rain to welcome YOG torch >> Plight of Singapore volunteers at Youth Olympic Village >> JC students forced to attend YOG events >> Dr Vivian: Singaporeans are proud of YOG >> PM Lee: YOG has struck a “chord” with our people >> Dr Vivian: YOG venues will not become “white elephants” >> Online pressure forced SFI to provide better food for YOG volunteers >> Improved “DOG” food on 14 August 2010 >> PAP provides three daily buffet meals to YOG athletes and officials >> YOG volunteers complain about being given “DOG” food >> Civil Service Club offering free YOG tickets >> Journey of YOG flame costs Singaporeans $7 million dollars >> Corny YOG propaganda in Straits Times >> Tharman: YOG enthusiasm is real >> Polytechnic student: I don’t care about YOG >> JC students being “volunteered” for YOG >> YOG: What the HELL is that? >> PAP provides YOG athletes and officials three daily buffets >> YOG students being given “dog food” >> Singapore students forced to volunteer for YOG >> Poor ticket sales forced closure of YOG gallery section >> PM Lee calls on Singaporeans to support YOG >> Young Singaporeans hurl vulgarities at YOG >> Dr Vivian wants Singaporeans to celebrate YOG >> NTU students complain about YOG >> Dr Vivian: Sports is not about “petty politics” >> More than 300 Singaporeans joined “I hate YOG” Facebook >> CNA poll: 90 percent of Singaporeans “not interested” in YOG >> Slovak YOG Ambassador slams YOG venues of “school standard” only >> Two Facebook groups calling for boycott of YOG >> Free condoms for YOG officials and athletes >> Singapore helping to repair Jamaica’s stadium in return for YOG marketing >> Former stripper to choreograph opening ceremony of YOG >> Desperate PAP wants Singaporeans to get “passionate” about YOG >> PAP to Singaporeans: Give way to YOG vehicles or get fined $130 >> PM Lee wants Singaporeans to do their part for YOG >> Only six teams in YOG soccer tournament  Read More →

The Singapore Democratic Party has launched a tirade against the Straits Times for putting up a "massive ad" for PAP MP Dr Teo Ho Pin, claiming that it is a sign that the PAP is getting "nervous" is Bukit Panjang. Dr Teo won Bukit Panjang in the last general election, beating SDP's Ling How Doong by garnering 77.9 percent of the valid votes, one of the best performance of any PAP MP. Both the Straits Times and the Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao published a full-page article showing a smiling Dr Teo greeting Bukit Panjang residents promoting him as a "popular" and "empathetic" MP who has working hard for constituency. The Straits Times article ended with the following paragraph: "Dr Teo is already so popular in Bukit Panjang. Now that everyone is so happy with the upgrading works and new sports complex, he might even do better in the next elections." In an article published on its website yesterday, SDP claimed that the "over-the-top" fawning over Dr Teo is a signal that "the PAP is nervous about the SDP's on-going campaign at Bukit Panjang." Dr Teo received much flak from Singaporeans over some insensitive remarks made during the Town Council fiasco in 2008 which saw the PAP Town Councils losing more than $10 million dollars of sinking funds in credit-linked products with his own Bukit Panjang-Holland Town Council losing $2 million dollars. When asked by the media on the rising chorus of unhappiness from Singaporeans, Dr Teo who is also the Chairman of PAP Town Councils replied callously that Singaporeans should be "thankful" to the Town Councils for "growing" their money over the last few years. In March this year, Dr Teo was rapped again for ignoring the plight of the stallholders at the Fajar wet market which was taken over by giant supermarket chain Sheng Shiong and for not speaking up for them when their rentals were increased arbitrarily after the takeover. Though the much anticipated election has not been called yet, SDP has already "booked" Bukit Panjang for itself. It made an open appeal to netizens to help it win the single-seat constituency in the next general election by spreading its message to help it bypass the PAP's "media blockade". Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

OPINION The Singapore media has predictably gone on a publicity overdrive about Singapore being ranked as "a top immigration hot spot for the second successive year in a global survey conducted by Gallup." "The city-state could see its population triple if everyone who wants to move here was allowed to, the poll released last Friday showed. It found that, in that case, Singapore's population of 4.8 million would increase by 219 per cent," proclaimed the Straits Times. The ranking is based on Gallup's Potential Net Migration Index which simply showed that there are more people who are keen to migrate to Singapore than those who want to leave the country. It does not tell us who the prospective migrants are. Is Singapore attracting first world migrants from first world countries like Australia, Canada, South Korea and Japan or second class migrants from third world countries like China and India? According to Gallup, the results are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews with 347,717 adults, aged 15 and older, in 148 countries from 2007 to early 2010. For most countries, aggregated sample sizes (across multiple years of surveys) range between 1,000 and 4,000 interviews. A total of 8,196 interviews were conducted in India, 7,561 in China, and 7,010 in Russia. Gallup's Potential Net Migration Index is based on responses to the following questions: Ideally, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move permanently to another country, or would you prefer to continue living in this country? (If "would like to move permanently to another country") To which country would you like to move? [Open-ended, one response allowed] [Source: Gallup] As we can see from the above, a disproportionate number of the interviewees in the survey came from China and India which contribute the bulk of the migrants coming to Singapore. Since the Singapore government has been actively trying to attract migrants from these two countries, it will not be a surprise that there are more Chinese and Indians indicating that they are keen to move to Singapore compared to citizens from other countries. Furthermore, the lax immigration policies of Singapore make it a much more attractive destination to prospective migrants who are desperate to leave their countries soon. It is so much easier for a mainland Chinese to become a Singapore PR than to get a U.S. Green Card. There are frequent reports in the media on PRC construction workers, beauticians, cleaners and even freelance prostitutes who are here on student passes being given Singapore PRs and citizenships. One PRC lady from Beijing who is working as a Chinese language teacher here is given Singapore PR within two months of application. Even in Hong Kong which is part of China, the mainland Chinese workers may not even be granted permanent residency status after many years if they are not qualified skilled workers. The survey only reveals the "quantity" and not "quality" of the migrants relocating to Singapore. In another poll conducted by Gallup last year, the top three immigration destinations for affluent, well-educated Chinese are United States (28%), South Korea (14%) and France (8%). [Source: Gallup] Singapore, despite the government rolling out the red carpet for Chinese immigrants, is not even featured among the top three. There is no official data available on the origins of the Chinese immigrants in Singapore, but based on anecdotal evidence, the majority of them hail from the poorer inland provinces of China such as Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Sichuan and Jiangxi rather than the rich coastal cities like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou whose GDP per capita income are fast approaching that of Singapore. The government should come clean with Singaporeans on the place of origin, professions and monthly salaries of the new citizens to enable us to judge for themselves if its immigration policy is indeed rational and reasonable. For example, of the 20,000 or so immigrants granted Singapore citizenship last year, what is the percentage holding white-collar, managerial jobs commanding a monthly salary of more than $10,000? What is the government's criteria for a "foreign talent"? Are teachers, technicians and clerks "talents" which Singapore lack? Are we getting real foreign talents or foreign thrash? Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →