I came from a top ranked secondary school and was an excellent tennis player. Unfortunately, I did really badly for my ‘O’ Levels. Got into a bottom ranked school based on my results. Went to the affiliated top ranked junior college (JC) to appeal for entry based on sports merits but the principal said, “We already have enough tennis players!”

Disheartened, I heard about a trial at a neighbourhood JC just outside the top 5 rankings. I went down and gave the performance of my life. They took me in and I was happy. They paid me with an education I didn’t earn the usual way and I paid them with my talents.

I most definitely displaced one of the students at that JC who may have made the Tennis team if not for me. However, as we were all beginning the school year together, we began our experiences together – I had not come in the middle of the school term to replace existing players. There was no resentment, there was not jealousy. I was glad to have been offered the chance to perform at a high level for another school who were willing to give me a chance.

Similarly, anyone who emigrates to anther country to ‘sell’ their skills, whether sporting, financial, technical, etc, is looking for a chance to build something for themselves. If they are able to make friends and create a comfort zone, they’ll build something for the long term in their newly adopted country.

How should we treat these new residents? How should the government behave in how it treats us?

When a child is adopted, the adoptive parents go all out to make the child comfortable so that the adopted child does not feel like he does not belong. While this is taking place, the other children in that family should not be ignored. I suppose this is the perception many people in Singapore have of how the government is treating us.

I want more people to come to Singapore who can help our country shine.
I want more people who can actually make Singapore a better place.
I ALSO WANT our government to act more responsibly in who it allows into my country.
I DEFINITELY WANT a clear understanding of what the government is trying to solve by opening the gates of the immigration counter to willy nilly!!

I definitely believe that I should love the paddler but hate the policy. This is because the paddlers make my heart race for my country but the policy makes me want to throw bricks at the policy makers who don’t think enough to warrant their salaries and allowances.

Yes, I do agree with the ideas of the writer. Everytime I think of the victory, I am proud. But everytime I remember the people who won, I am ashamed of my country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7574379.stm

What happens if rules tightened, and our FTs cannot compete for S’pore. Lose money like on UBS, ML, Barclays and Shin?

Hacker Uncovers Chinese Olympic Fraud
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/20/1259253

that’s all that matter, the 66% who have given them the power to do as they please .

One Quarter of Beijing Olympics Table Tennis Players Are China Born
http://hongjun.blogspot.com/2008/08/one-quarter-of-beijing-olympics-table.html

hahahaha.. its shocking, but might really be true huh? no wonder china was cheering so loudly wen singapore came out during the ceremony. hmm.. come to think of it, they weren’t cheering for us. they were just cheering for their CHINA-made FTs. trying to promote to the rest of the world, so they will BUY to.. sickening man!! im disgusted!!!

Thanks very much for the info, every little bit helps, TOC will make our best efforts to contact Mr Tan.

Unlike some others investment where we are looking at returns probably in a period of say 30 years !? no prize for anyone who knows about the investment I m talking abt. Haha

I agree with you. We need to honour our national icons, and there are definetely more genuine Singapore heroes than LKY and grassroots leaders to give accolades to.

In fact, I am trying to put together a fuller feature piece on Tan HL, and would be grateful if anyone here can provide TOC leads to contact him direct.

Now this is Div 1 govmen — its FT won GOLD. GOLD not silver.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7569957.stm

Thank you for postings – I suddenly remember Uncle Choo whose doggedness cost him his life early, and Tan Howe Liang – always on his own. The times have gone by – no matter how we try, the extraordinary passion of such an athlete as – Tan How Liang or one great coach as – Uncle Choo are no more around – cash motivation has taken over.

A few years ago I had the privilege to meet Tan Howe Liang when he was doing his menial work earning a living; I wonder if he is retired now.

I move for a special mention and award (to include a special one off cash grant) for Tan Howe Liang (as soon as possible) in conjunction with this year’s current National Day celebration to do Singaporeans proud as he did 48 years ago in Rome when our then national flag was raised.

Thank you TOC.

By the way, the foreign talent scheme for sportmen should be cancelled soonest. It’s our hard earned money!! It should be used in helping the needy ones; To help the hardworking/ excel students from poor families to further their studies. To help the poor and helpless elders in daily expenses and medical expenses.

One thing which I believe the majority of us are still pondering: How many of these foreigners(including PRs) are capped as talented? Not many as you can see. So, do we really attract the correct people in? Or are we attracting these foreign ‘talents’ in to create more social problems? If they are really talented, they will not come to Singapore.

Take table tennis as an example: Currently, we called winner, China table tennis team as ‘team A’- China talented ones. When players of team A were young, they are already so talented that China did not want to lose them. (China didnt want to release any of their talented players especially Zhang Yi Ning when Singapore went over to recruit player/s many years ago- for more details, pls look at the news in yesterday’s Lian He Zao Bao ).
Afterall, the same thing applies to other sports and jobs as well.