The following article is contributed by Anthony Yeo, Consultant Therapist. TOC thanks Anthony for taking the time to pen his thoughts for us.
Anthony Yeo
In the final analysis, the more I ponder over this matter, the more inclined I am to hang my head in shame as I am not celebrating our Olympics success.
Now that Singapore has finally won a medal at the Olympics after a 48-year wait, there is much euphoria and accolades for what the table-tennis team has achieved.
The Straits Times editorial of 18 August was all praise for the table-tennis players and their achievement, their being imports from China notwithstanding.
Likewise, columnist Chua Mui Hoong also categorically stated that,“No matter their country of origin, what matters is that Li, Wang and Feng, and many, many more of those watching the finals at home, and their forefathers – made a conscious choice to be Singaporean and to be part of Team Singapore”. (ST Aug 18, 2008)
As the nation celebrates, I am perturbed.
A need to make a distinction
It has to do with the perpetual issue about foreign talent. Put bluntly, we have adopted the view that for all intents and purposes, Singapore needs foreign talent. As the editorial affirmed, “The case will be made ad infinitum of why Singapore must continue to make itself welcoming of research scientists, artistes and creative people, entrepreneurs, academics and wealth creators. There is no substitute for skill.” (ST Aug 18, 2008)
Although we can acknowledge the value of foreign talent in the areas indicated in the editorial, we need to further clarify who these people are and their place in our society.
There is no need to debate the value of contribution that foreign talent can add to Singapore. It is axiomatic that an open society should be hospitable to such talent to augment the wealth of a nation, materially or otherwise. Nations have been enriched culturally and spiritually by the interaction of talents from all sources.
Unfortunately, we seem to misunderstand the infusion of foreign talent in the field of sports, mainly the table-tennis imports from China. There is a distinction we must make between importing talented foreign sportsmen and women and those others we attract to enrich other aspects of life in Singapore.
For one, other foreign talents may not necessarily make Singapore their home. That is a choice that is not denied to them. They come to offer their contributions and may or may not become citizens. This is true of scientists, academics, artistes, religious teachers and a host of talented people whom we welcome for enriching our nation.
We do not insist that they become citizens in order to make their presence and contribution felt, although some have been persuaded to take up citizenship. If they do, we embrace them as representatives of Singapore. If they do not, we will still acknowledge their contribution without claiming ownership.
Furthermore, when foreign talents come, Singaporeans can learn from them and in the process, may have the potential to replace them if necessary so that Singaporeans can benefit from their contribution. This will make us less dependent on foreign talent for an extended period. If need be, there can be a collaborative endeavour in harnessing talents for the enhancement of knowledge and skills in various disciplines.
There is a difference in the field of sports, namely the importation of foreign sports people for winning awards for Singapore.
Questions we need to ask ourselves
In the case of the table-tennis players, they were intentionally scouted and enticed to come to Singapore for the expressed purpose of helping us win in competitions — and in this instance to end Singapore’s Olympics medal drought.
In a sense these players from China have no choice but to be made citizens if they wish to represent Singapore. They also come to us with the sole intention of advancing their goal of being recognised sportswomen. Inasmuch as we want them to win for us, they also want to win on account of us. It is a reciprocal, symbiotic relationship that can be devoid of any values as it is deemed a fair exchange.
Yet there is a value issue for Singapore. It behooves us to search ourselves and be bold enough to ask certain questions.
The questions we may need to ask include:
- To what extent is this the way to go in building up our talent pool in the field of sports?
- What is our goal for participation in sports, just to win, or primarily to participate?
- What values are we communicating to our young in terms of how they should value themselves since we are implicitly placing greater value on those who can achieve by having such imports?
- How might such talented players contribute to nurturing local talent when they are mainly playing to win?
- In what way is sports “coming of age”, as declared by one government official, when we can have instant sportswomen groomed by others but capitalised by us for winning ways?
- To what extent might this stifle local talent, as it would take a longer time to nurture local sportsmen and women when we can easily import skilled players from elsewhere?
- What is the long-term commitment to Singapore from such imports and their ongoing contribution to development of sports in Singapore?
We must confront such questions and more, so as to think about what it means to aim for shortcuts to success in the field of sports. This may apply to other aspects of life for us, as we need to clarify as to what extent we wish to evolve a culture of short routes to success.
Value
We need to consider how we could be instilling in the minds of our young that they are not valued as much as foreign talent, as it may take too long to nurture them to high-level performance. Could we unwittingly be communicating that we would prefer to import people than to invest money and energy to nurture local potential sportsmen and women? It could also be possible that we would be telling our young that it is not worth their efforts trying to aspire to be winners since we can always go hunting for ready-made winners.
Of course we may refer to other countries which do the same and proclaim that this is a normal practice elsewhere.
This obviously does not justify what we do as we often profess to be unique and that we need not always emulate other countries. We consider Singapore as not like any other and we pride ourselves in our ability to survive and flourish as a nation.
We do not need to do what others do just to aim for prized success.
Differentiating an immigrant from an import
Sometimes we refer to the fact that Singapore is a nation where our forefathers were primarily migrants. Hence there is no reason why we cannot now attract foreign talents to bolster our chances of success in every field and win Olympics medals as well.
This seems to confuse the issue, as we are not differentiating between an immigrant and an import.
For example, mention was made that all our Olympics medallists hail from China, with particular reference to Tan Howe Liang, our original silver medallist.
But there is a difference between Tan Howe Liang and the table-tennis China girls.
Tan Howe Liang migrated to Singapore, not to be a weightlifter or to win Olympics medals but to live and work. He made Singapore his home and became a weightlifter on his own initiative. When he finally made it to the Olympics, he did it with his own resources and when he returned as our hero, there was hardly any fanfare.
All that came much, much later with each Olympics that came along until he was relieved when he learnt that Singapore was on the way to winning an Olympics medal after what he had achieved so very long ago.
No shortcuts
If we truly wish to be a sporting nation, we cannot pay lip service and resort to shortcut measures for competitive sports. We may include foreign talent but our primary pool of sportsmen and women must be people of the soil.
Otherwise, we would be constantly sending a team from another country to play against the team from their country of origin. No wonder it was said that we had a B team from China representing Singapore playing against the A team from China.
If we were to stretch the argument further, what is to stop us from importing a whole football team from Brazil as intimated by a writer of the forum page (ST Aug 21) or any other sporting team from any country just to be winners in international competitions?
In similar vein, what would stop other sports from deciding on emulating the table-tennis association? Where do we draw the line?
In the final analysis, the more I ponder over this matter, the more inclined I am to hang my head in shame as I am not celebrating our Olympics success. In fact I am ashamed and deprived of a sense of dignity for being a Singaporean.
————
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
Anthony i agree with you 100%! The PAP govt has lost its plot and can only think of money money money.
What’s the big deal about celebrating in getting the silver olympic medal? This is just another import from world class China and furthermore a ‘B’ team. I’m wondering what will the future of sports in Singapore be like? Using money to buy over hearts and skills to achieve short term gain but compromise on the future of our children. We will sink further in economic disparity as well as sporting glory where there is none of a fighting spirit and confidence in facing the other giants like China and India. With no natural resource, we have only brains and skills but exploited at the gain of PAP to shut out our own talents. Why not invest in our present generation and reap long term gain of economic progression, creativity, survival skill and fighting spirit, nevermind the medal … it’s just a piece of medal for public display.
“98) Kent on August 26th, 2008 9.38 pm Then join or form a new political party and take him on in 2011. Let the people decide if you have what it takes to bond the people.”
My dear friend. Your calling sounds so familiar with one of our previous chosen ones. The problem is, why must we be guided by your suggestion on how we should engage matters of interest.
WE are the people you see. Currently, we feel very comfortable in giving our views here in order to bond the people in a manner we find convenient, except maybe for you who may not feel bonded judging from your point of view.
“101) jjb55 on August 27th, 2008 9.32 am
Without civilised effective communication, alternative voices can’t shed its image as a brat who whimpers to get nothing but attention.”
Hi jjb55, I hear you too.
Why are the alternative voices here deserving of your attention in coming into this site and your attention of precious time in replying a line or two. Yes, I forgot, you could be here by accident with your brother in arms.
To Kent: “My dear friend. Your calling sounds so familiar with one of our previous chosen ones. The problem is, why must we be guided by your suggestion on how we should engage matters of interest.”
That is only a suggestion. In a democracy any change must be peaceful and thro the ballot box like in Permatang Puah ! The alternative is anarchy that we are now vividly witnessing in Bangkok. Is that what you prefer? I don’t, for the sake of my family and the future generations of Singaporeans. We must live in harmony !!
To Kent : “WE are the people you see.”
Then get your act together. The country belongs to the people not to any party !
To Kent : “Currently, we feel very comfortable in giving our views here in order to bond the people in a manner we find convenient, except maybe for you who may not feel bonded judging from your point of view.”
There is free speech in Spore so long that you don’t stir or inflame sectarian violence and religious hatred or defame anyone. If you feel unconfortable to write to the MSM then the TOC forum is an excellent avenue to start.
Are we deceiving ourselves that we really won a medal at the Olympics? THL is still the ONE person who won an Olympics Silver medal for the Republic. Compared to the bought imports from China, he trained himself w/o any perks and $$$ from the government. I guess what he received was not much compared to those imported talents from China. These talents just came here because of money and use Singapore as an alternate way of appearing in world class competition since China has so many talented kids. But I believe their hearts are still with their motherland. Did they sing the Majulah? Why is LJW dragging our Singapore flag w/o any sense of respect. I bet they don’t even know what’s the meaning of our national anthem. Once they earned enough, they will depart to Aus or NZL or Canada for sure. Cos Singapore is just a good place to earn more money, save it and go spend elsewhere. Why is it that the PAP always like to take shortcuts in using money to buy medals rather than developing our local talents; be it 10, 20 or 30 years. We will reap more benefits than relying on the imports who may not choose Sinkapore as their place of retirement. The PAP also knows it for sure the many who departed right. Afterall, what are fruits of sports or a sporting nation? Professionalism, fighting spirit, endurance, never-say-die attitude, perseverance, discipline. I believe if we didn’t win any medals, these traits are equally satisfying and beneficial to Singapore. But kudos to LBW who has damaged the season of celebration for our medal after a “good” 48 years. Anyway most Singaporean don’t regard this medal as ours since it’s bought with CASH and not with our own sweat.
it is nugatory indeed, for singapore to import foreign talents, when they do realise the fact that there will never be a 100% dedication and passion put into their games. in fact, it is seemingly obvious that they are using singapore as a platform to be successful as sports people, where they are wanted and are paid for. as mentioned many times earlier, the term singapore citizen is only embedded on them so that they can further develop their career. there is absolutely no sense of true pride and belonging. we are aware that at the end of the day, once they’ve made their debut and earned enough capital, they will probably return to their motherland. however, these are only our perspectives. we will never know what the foreign talents themselves are thinking. perhaps time is the best judge. there just might be this small possibility that they are playing the games as a true singaporean, dedicating their hearts and souls with pride and dignity. but of course there’s not much to hope for.
The government has taught people that you don’t need to be hardworking and groom a person to be hardworkding. All you need to do is to buy FT, give them the citizenship, and lure them to bring you medals by giving out huge sum of money (the carrot). The China government only gives out S$75,000 for gold medal, as compared with our silver medal $750,000 and 1.5 mil for gold medals, no wonder the media always says silver medal is “as good as GOLD”. I think it is even BETTER than gold. Li Jia Wei earned > 100,000 for this silver medal, is already getting more than Zhang Yi Lin already. Of course, without this carrot, we will not have FT here… and seriously speaking, there is not much of “glory” to bring to Singapore. At the end of the day, where is Singapore’s rank in the olympics? Is a medal that important? I am also surprised to see my colleagues shared the same feeling as mine when I am cheering for Korea’s team instead of Singapore team in the semi-finals. How bad that our government has used this to divide us instead of unite us.
Basically Singapore has failed to be nurtured as a nation:
1. fertility rate/population growth (which impact almost every other factor);
2. social graces
3. education purposes
all largely because of its pragmatism and economic imperatives. a nation without one body one spirit, almost everyone just a digit.
so i think these are the root causes.
(sorry I missed this whole post and comments. I browsed through – it is not uplifting)
Hi James,
Yea, you comments are about right (your understanding of all comments) with regards to this whole thread, except a couple of smart writers in a perpetual state of denial which of course they are entitled to.
In support with what you said, we are not a nation, we are subjects of PAP, a political party who was not and do not wants to establish this little dot as a nation in its truest sense (as compared to many other countries, since our PAP likes to make comparisons only when it favours them) but an economic entity where the ministers salary are benchmarked, calculated and rewarded (as enumerated by old man during the past debate).
Very sad. Now the latest hot off the press, we wants to create a ‘Mini Denmark’. Oops meaning to say, I can anticipate someone drawing cartoons to be published in the ST, haha. LOL how are the cartoons going to turn out??
For the past 10+ years, we’re merely importing log, stock and barrel – players, coaches, assistants and even sparring partners etc who are below “Level 1’ from the greatest table tennis nation in the world, and hoping against hope, that our imports could be locally groomed to beat the Grand Master in own his game.
However, compare this to at what our ASEAN countries had just won without relying on imports:
Vietnam – weightlifting silver medal in men’s 56 kg
Indonesia – weightlifting bronze medal in men’s 56 kg and bronze in men’s 62 kg
Thailand – weightlifting gold medal in women’s 53 kg and silver in women’s 49 kg Taekwondo
Malaysia – silver medal in men’s badminton single.
Even Togo, a small African nation with a population of 5 million and a GDP per capital of $1,700 (world’s 193rd) had won her first ever Olympic bronze medal in the men’s Shalom K-1 Canoe event.
And war-torn Afganistan, represented by only 4 competitors, managed to win her first ever Olympic medal by taking the bronze medal in the men’s -58kg taekwondo.
Is a gold medal won by a foreign-born worth more than a bronze medal won by a local?
Think about it, Singapore.
Singapore’s sports excellence is getting nowhere with no clear direction! Import and import and more imports for the past 10 years and spending tons of money on foreign talent in exchange for a medal in the olympics but still not yielding any success on the local scene. Is is worth the money? Furthermore, we know that they are not to stay once they got rich. They will move to a more democratic and vibrant country like Aus, NZL and Canada. Here in Singapore, everybody is fearful of speaking out their mind and hypocritically speaking whatever that bring down others so as to benefit oneself in the work place as well as school. The competition is killing all grounds of a graceful nation. Even a medal that was bought by the people’s money does not gain any benefits but created a mess by LBW. A success on international arena only tell the world that Singapore has the money to spend and manage sports but yielding no clear results. Does Singapore need a medal so badly that we have to spend useless money to buy talents. Will they really teach the locals to do well in the sports and train us hard? All for the love of money and not aspiration and of the higher realm. I would say a healthy Singaporean would benefit the country more than any medals. For example, Singaporean living longer to work (which is what the gov wanted), percentage of people exercising at least 2 times per week, no of locals participating in the local bay run or nike run etc. You can see that the percentage is increasing along the years. That’s what the eventual benefit of sports right??