We will certainly be fools if we allow such inequity in our society!

Please read the Letter from Leo Chen Ian, President of Disabled People’s Association(DPA), printed on TODAY dated 22 Sep | Voice Page 22 and hear the voices of our disabled community.

“….as DPA champions the equalisation and the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, we hope that the Athletes Achievement Awards given to Singapore Paralympians will soon equal to Multi-Million dollar Award Programme granted to able-bodied Olympians. An equal incentive for Paralympians will give them the recognition as equals with the rest of society – something they have aspired to and worked hard for.”

我们是新加坡公民，誓愿不分种族、言语、宗教，团结一致，建设公正
[平等]
的民主社会，并为实现国家之幸福、繁荣与进步，共同努力。

平等?

I felt hollow when our table tennis paddlers won – weren’t the whole team from China?

However, I feel proud that Singapore finally made it!

Thank you, Singapore girls!

When will our leaders care to sit up and listen???

Why I think they will never get the same recognition as normal Olympians, and Why its okay.

Bayah lah Buaya

To use a footballing analogy, would you expect the prize money for winning the Carling Cup to be more than the payout for winning the Champion’s League? Didn’t think so.

It may not be correct in a moral or logical sense, but that’s just the way it is. Put bluntly, the Paralympics is no more than an afterthought to the Olympics.

Don’t get me wrong, I support our Paralympians as much as or even more than our ‘real’ Olympic contingent.

Er really? How many people actually follow the Paralympic games with the same intensity as they do the Summer Olympic games?

It’s only in name that they are equal, so we should stop making hypocritical comments like this.

Do YOU follow the Paralympics? Or did you only read the news after Singapore won some medals?

Since there’s lower interest and prestige in Paralympics, then it’s only natural that the rewards are less. Mind you, $100k is nothing to be sniffed at.

I do feel that their achievements are worth celebrating, just not to the extent of giving her $1 million.

Anyway it’s so funny how people drag in unrelated issues like human greed and foreign “talent”. Don’t cloud the issue!

By winning medals at this level only serves a reminder how far the athletes themselves have benefitted from the various programmes and opportunities given to them which otherwise is not available like in many countries. Yes we can all go on with the fairness debate but lets put in this way, in all societies there will definitely be a disparity in rewards and benefits etc. Maybe we can do better but I too feel the beneficiaries themselves should feel contented right now given the disadvantages they have due to no fault of anyone.

Yes we can continue to bridge the gap of rewards for different genders, abilities, qualifications etc but then the important virtue to include in is learning how to be contented with our lot.

Greed has brought us to this present crisis as it all started with allowing future monies (credit) to be used for the present. This irresponsible act does not only bankrupt loads of people and huge institutions and countries as well. By us humans wanting more can bring benefits to the economies but for how long. As we all know, resources are becoming scarce.

On a larger picture, with the financial crisis that will inadvertably affect us should be foremost on our minds instead of focusing on just a few victories and individuals. It is nice to see Tan Kin Lian’s article on his views etc. Being an ex-CEO he is well informed of such matters. The main concern really is how much has been kept from us from the relevent authorities. I remembered not too long ago, a certain bigshot from across the globe mentioned there is no cause for alarm as the situation is under control. Now we all know the truth…..

Your are not only a true blue and gutsy Singaporean achieving against tremendous odds – you are also the rare gem of a persona who serendipitously wakes up a nation’s conscience by your real efforts.

CONGRATULATIONS.

To bridge the gap, for a start, the govt should recognise both of the events on equal par.

However, it would be better , though external to our control, that the Olympic and Paralympic be held together. That way, the reach would be the same audience. It could be implemented by having the Olympics heats first followed by the Paralympics heats within the same venue at the same duration. Usually Paralympics is conducted after the Olympics is over, which means all of the audience have gone home and telecast is gone too.