While words are nicely said and appreciated by all – the present support and reward system must be reviewed and changed as soon as possible – otherwise it will be bad taste and cheapen the efforts of paralympians, coaches and officials.

In Olympic or Paralympic, the Government must be seen by its citizens to be equally involved and fair.

The private sector is commercially motivated and driven by profits – it can never replaced the Government in recognition of the sacrifices and efforts made by the citizen sportsmen and sportswomen – olympians or paralympians for the glory of Singapore and raising of the Singapore flag to the pride of an entire nation.

Thank you.

to me the handicap should get more because it is more difficult for them to carry on their live than those able person.

it must show fairness to all.

having handicap is hard to survive in these days and now they are also beign rewarded lesser than abled person, what logic is this?

Govt has a habit of getting it thru its Singapore Pools and etc machine, I dun see them having problems getting more money from them.

I think it’s reasonable that Paralympic athletes get less prize money.

After all, the level of prestige and interest is lower as compared to the Summer Olympics. Even the Winter Games should get less money, as it’s literally the poorer cousin.

Does Yip Pin Xiu really deserve $1 million? After all, the field isn’t as competitive.

Anyway, I’m happy for Yip. The $100k will help make her life much more comfortable.

hansolo (#3):

Should Singapore even reward S$1M to an Olympic Gold Medallist (if we manage to even produce one somehow)? Singapore’s first Olympic Medallist Mr Tan Howe Liang had no financial incentive and he paid training expenses out from his own pocket. It would be just as much hard work for Paralympic athlete to win a medal compared to an Olympic athlete to win a medal. If there should be a monetary reward for an Olympic Gold medal, it should be as much as Paralympic Gold Medal – S$100,000.

Let’s not go overboard.

Many people (self included) make distinctions between Olympic medals in various sports . EG a track and field or swimming meda at Beijing or Athens is a lot more prestigious than a syncronised swimming or weight lifting medal.

Likewise without denigrating the paraolympics, many including self see a distinction between the Olympics are the paraolympics. .

Thaz the emotional side.

On the practical side, how many followed the latter? I didn’t.

Is it tougher competing among winners at the Olympics or is it tougher overcoming a physical disability and winning a medal at the Paralympics?

I would say the latter. It’s just sad that our gahmen glorifies the former much more.

after the fiasco of the imported China silver, i am really proud of this true blue Sec 4 Singaporean, coached by our own Ang Peng Siong.
I think Peng Siong and Ms Yip would not mind if it is $1 or $100,000. It is an honour they brought to themselves, and secondarily to the country. I am really happy for them.
If the govt can look at Tan Howe Liang and not give him a cent, I am not surprised the govt will not put a cent into Ms Yip hands, or her coach, but continue to pour millions and millions into the Table Tennis China Import to manufacture an artificial pride.
Sad but true.

Just want to clarify something. The Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) unfortunately functions as a charity/VWO. Their yearly budget is peanuts compared to the Singapore Sports Council. 40% of SDSC’s funding comes from SSC, and they have to canvass the remaining 60% themselves from private organisations, fund raising events etc etc.

With this limited amount of money, they must groom the elite athletes, launch sports programmes to engage the public, pay for equipment, transport etc for athletes, and not forgetting the day to day operations of the council.

The Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) is set up only this year to be the official representation of Singapore at the Paralympic games. In truth, they are just like a separate “department” of SDSC, so they sort of share the same budget. 20% of the award money has to come from SNPC/SDSC, and given their tight budget, they have to go around asking for sponsors to raise this money, so it’s not easy for them either.

The way to go is for SDSC to be an equal to SSC, and not be treated as a charity/VWO. This way they can receive more funding from the govt, and allow them to divert more energy into developing future athlete instead of having to go around soliciting for donations.

Mr Loh,,
Leave well alone. Minus the similar name of Olympics, the 2 games are of vastly different stature. The Summer Olympics is world class and for all intents and purposes, the champoins are professionals of the ultimate standards. $100k is still a very substantial sum and certainly does not demean the gold medalist.

Please do not fight for the sake of fighting. Don’t judge by the cover of the book. Do you know there is also an Animal Olympics? Are you also championing that the gold medalists there should also command a $1M reward. Actually our rewards are too much in comparison to even the best countries in the world. It is only because it is a rarity for Sinagpore to get an Olympic medal that the high rewards are affordable.

My heartiest congratulations to Yip Pin Xiu and all the other Paralympians. It shows that Singapore does have talent and grit. I’m glad this has raised the profile of people with disabilities too.

Hi Simple (comment 9),

Perhaps I did not make my point clear which is this: The Govt should reward the Paralympians, and not leave it to the private sector.

This is for the simple reason that these disabled athletes deserve as much recognition as other sportsmen – such as the Olympians. If the award or reward comes from the Govt, it represents the country’s gratitude, which I am sure we all feel towards Yip and her disabled colleagues.

That is the point I was trying to make, and not specifically about the amount of the reward itself.

To Simple (comment 9)

This is exactly the mindset that needs to be changed: that the Paralympics is inferior to the Olympics. The Paralympics is of world class standard, and its athletes are professionals of the highest standard, please do not doubt that.

A medal is a medal, it’s unfair to the paralympians who are true blue SINGAPOREANS. I am more connected with their archievements than those won by foreign sports talents. If $100,000 for the paralympians is viewed as ‘adequate’, then the paddlers are way over rewarded then! If the rewards are level up, part of it can be contributed to the association to help more people with disabilities to realise their talents.

Likewise, I don’t expect anything less to be done for their homecoming – don’t add another insult.

Good discussion. The cash award for abled body athletes are also from pte sector and Tote Board. As such, the cash award for Paralympians are also from the same source, Tote Board. Tote Board is in a way government. So there is indeed support. Issue is that there is only cash award for the paralympians recently because there was lack of interest and awareness previously. Not forgetting that the level of competition is indeed different. The paralympics has different categories and that narrows the competition. If you talk about hard work, then we have to include every athlete.

I was asking a friend in SSC. SDSC gets its funding from SSC. It is definitely not 40%. The entire full time staff of more than 10 are all paid fully by SSC. This is on top of the funding given to develop the athlete. Furthermore, disabled athletes get to use all the equipment and services of SSC. That include sports doctor and medical services. If that is the case, my views is that SDSC should use the money to develop more promising athletes for the future. I do not know about SDSC and its existence before the paralympic success. Where were they ? I only know Theresa. I suspect this is all the efforts of the athletes and the coach. So how did they use the funds ?

Hr Mr Loh,
Hope you don’t mind that I have added your link onto the online petition relating to this issue.
Again, as you’ve mentioned, the ‘petition’ was not started to protest against anyone or the stituation. Rather, it is for the purpose of setting up a central avenue to consolidate Singaporean’s view on this. I feel that if it is anytime to make a change in the recognition standards, it has to be now, and not 4 years later. It is also an opportunity for Singaporeans to express their pride for our sporting heros.
Thanks!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rewardparalympians

if rewards equivalent to an olympic medalist are not possible, then at least a Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal)be presented to these parylmpians medalists..
at least, a recognition for their effort.

they have to work hard,or even harder, to achieve those medals..

To: the insights (comment #4)

I’m not sure how much your friend knows about the financial status of SDSC, and where he or she gets this information from. Yes it is definitely not 40%. It’s much lesser than that if you want to be calculative.

You said that the full time staff are all paid fully by SSC. The truth is that budget given by SSC is meant to cover a variety of stuff, in fact, anything that is not under training, sports programmes and competitions. And that amount is just sufficient to cover manpower costs, so technically you can say, yes, it’s paid by SSC. But what about other operating costs? Office rental? Publicity? SSC isn’t as generous as you think.

Only elite athletes who have shown results and achievements get to use the equipment and services for free. So in the end SDSC still has to fund their own development programmes and achieve results first.

Yeh, it is a tough call. The Government will probably not move on this one, but still hopefull with TOC’s debate and 15) L’s petition, that the future may have equitable treatment for paralympians, coaches and staffers.

Meanwhile for a one off, perhaps we can draw the attention of Oei Hong Leong to help out on a private (sector) citizen basis as the time is really now or never to appreciate and fairly reward the really excellent performances of true blue Singaporeans paraolympians returning today.

Unclear to the establishment are the consequences – FTs and expats working in Singapore companies are seen to be so well taken care off; Staying Singaporeans already pushed down to feeling of 2nd class rightly or wrongly so, may now be further relegated to 3rd class – widening the great divide between people and the establishment. Hope that the signs and warnings are taken into consideration for future policy changes to redress the sensitive issues, which will extend into university places, national service, scholarships, etc , all for a better future of our children born and bred here and staying.

I wonder how much reward did Yip Pin Xiu receive for that feat ?
I would assume she deserve to be paid the same as our pingpong gals.
There should be equality for achievements in sports. Both are olympics.
There should be no discrimination and no bias and inequality.
Not that there is. I am just asking.

Based on justice and equality…..so as …. to achieve….

Just want to say well done to our paralympians.

The awards for the paralympians are funded by donations.
So what else, as far as the govt is concerned, is new as far as the disabled and handicapped are concerned?

Their education is left to charities. Now we know even their paralympics awards are funded by public donations, with naught govt commitment or participation.
Paralympians should seriously consider migrating to another place where they are treated as equally as able-bodied citizens.

It is a stigma, a govt accorded stigma, to be disabled or handicapped in 1st world $ingapore. :(

I like the fact that we would not use Pin Xiu to create an opportunity to slam the govt for nothing not that I agree with everything. I am aware that govt spending for disabled athletes is indeed more than for abled bodies reading from the papers.

bb, I read that some european countries’s sports association that produced world champions barley gets 100,000 a year. How did they do it ? Did a rough calculation and the funding for the operations should be very substantial for more than 10 staff. Do we need so many to help so few ? I would rather more be given to the athletes. There is also not much heard about disabled events. Were the athletes training under SDSC ?

As for govt funding, to be fair, there is govt support. In this case, supporting it through Tote Board for the case awards and SSC in funding SDSC and the athletes. Cant say the govt is not funding, George.

I agree we should get recognition for the disabled athletes and treat them as sportsmen. Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) sounds like a good idea, sutradara.

[...] Discourse – TOC: Yip Pin Xiu, an awesome achievement! – TOC: NTU censors campus news coverage of Chee Soon Juan visit [...]

Thank you to TOC & debate, and #15) L, – the scoop is that the paralympians’ rewards are being adjusted upwards and along with it – there must be more support .

Keep up the good work – you guys are make a difference.

Dump the foreign trash policy. Support local talent.
Dump the PAP. Support pro-Sporean opposition parties.

#25 genius level post.

Do we really want to get rid of the foreign trash like some of our grandparents or in some cases, our parents who happen to be FT originating from Malaysia, China, India etc.

Perhaps a little (or maybe a lot more) thought should go into such posts….

I am proud that a true blue singaporean won a gold medal. This is truly a great achievement to our Country.

I wish some wealthy chap – Oei or Eric Khoo or Khoo Teck Puat’s family would come forward and reward her with $1,000,000 – for the fighting spirit that is found in her against all odds. Or Singapore tote board, if it is considered a private entity.
It was good to hear the Singapore National anthem last night, 1004pm channel 5 – played at the Beijing watercube.
It felt sooo good.

to Insight (comment #22)

It seems like you think that SDSC is only looking after a handful of athletes. What you see are in the Paralympics are just 6 of them who qualified for the games. There are many other athletes who are still undergoing training in various sports. There are many other swimmers, wheelchair racers, sprinters, boccia players, lawn bowl players etc etc.

Besides the elite athlete programme, SDSC also has to cater to other sports programmes to reach out to the disabled population to encourage them to take up sports, and at the same time identify potential candidates to groom as elite athletes for competition. SDSC also has to organise various competitions, roadshows and sporting leagues for the various sports. The most recent one would be the 2nd Boccia invitational, whereby participants for various countries came to Singapore for competition.

Do not just base all your assumptions on what you see in the Paralympics. It’s akin to saying that the whole of SSC just caters to the table-tennis trio. In that case, their annual budget of over $30 million should be more than sufficient? I remember that it was reported in the papers that just for SSC’s sailing programme, the budget is already $3+ million, and that is almost the annual budget for SDSC.

Like i’ve mentioned, SDSC functions as a charity/VWO. The President of SDSC, Mr Tan Ju Seng, gets $0 for his role. And he has been volunteering for 14 years. Compare that to the top shots at SSC and see what kind of salary they are drawing. Perhaps you should also ask your friend in SSC how much bonus he is getting this year. For SDSC – 0.

Anyway, it would be good for you to read up more about SDSC, and take a look at their annual report.

Here’s the website: http://www.sdsc.org.sg

Also, regarding media coverage of disabled events, SDSC have always tried very hard to get the media to provide coverage. It’s just that in the past, the media were uninterested. There are lots of excuses for not covering the events. But suddenly, with the medal wins, all the media are scampering to provide coverage and interviews. If not for the medal wins, do you think Ch 5 would suddenly broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies and the highlights of the games? It’s a very pragmatic world, and SDSC and SNPC do realise this.

In an article I read in Xinmin, Tan Ju Seng, the president of SNOC and SDSC, said that they know that it’s a realistic world, that no one will take notice of disability sports until there are achievements.

Anyway I do agree that we should not be using this opportunity to bash the govt. A lot of pple who do not know anything are just blasting away. Do take the time to read the various reports carefully, learn more about the organisation through its websites, learn about the various classification system for disability sports, before slamming away about what is good and deserving of the athletes. They have been doing this for years, they have gone through a lot to get the award scheme approved for the disabled athletes, they have considered a lot of factors to arrive at this prize money, and the athletes are all very appreciative of what the organisation has done.

Great that something more can be given to them. I know we all meant well for these athletes. Even my friend who share with me these info told me their ‘boss’, the Ministry is very hands on to get more done for the athletes. This is quite a change and just reading from reports there is a lot more people involved. This is good news for athletes. It has really progress with many sports events, YOG, Olympic medal, paralympic medal, F1, etc. Usually I have a lot of criticism but for sports, must credit govt, MCYS (1st time ! can’t imagine I am doing this). A small Spore is making waves now !

They are coming back this evening and hope there are lots of supporters ! I am excited about all the events, YOG, sports hub, medals and more medals. After reading all the comments, i think the country has progress in sports and must say govt has been active in promoting sports.

wake up dude !! our country is famous for double standard.

We all meant well for the athletes. Even my friend who shared this info told me that the ‘boss’, MCYS, is very hands on to do more for sports, athletes. To be fair, I agreed with jonas that looking at things, must say, the govt has done well(can’t imagine i am saying this !) in sports.

What time are they arriving ? I am excited about the paralympic gold medal. We should treat them the same as other sportsman. I hope Pin Xiu won’t give up and continue to do us proud in 2012. I am a big sports fan and represented my school. Sports has changed especially in the last two years and more are into it right now. Spore has indeed made a lot of progress in sports.

One does it for Pride and Love of Country
The other does it for money

One is handicapped and has to work that much harder to win
The other is treated like a princess at every step

One is Singaporean
The other holds a Singapore passport

One is ever smiling regardless of her disability and infinitely likeable
The other is a sourpussed, mercenary whore

One won a Gold
The other only received a Silver (there’s no such thing as winning a silver. Winning actually means Winning)

One received $100K which she will spend in Singapore
The other received $250K which she is taking back to Beijing.

Which One do you love?

In response to #36 Jeff on September 19th, 2008 12.01 am:

Thanks Jeff :) That’s exactly how i feel too.

http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=426895254
李佳微：我希望在2008 … 我是北京人，又是中国人， 希望能在自己的本土， 自己的地盘上， 能够取得一面奖牌.

Is she worth $250,000?

Sorry for the repeat post. I would like to urge everyone who has strong sentiments with regards to the unfair recognition for our homegrown sporting heros to sign n post your views.
We need more Singaporeans to make their voices heard so that changes can be made about this soon!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rewardparalympians

Thank you!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rewardparalympians

problem with singaporeans nowaday is that we do not think that our government love us very much . . . i wonder why .. .

Do they?

I just say that our PAP Govt leaders are just plain elitist, snobbish and kind of vain in their mindset.

By assigning monetary values to different kinds of honour which should be priceless it only goes to show how materialistic our Govt leaders are. Just look at the way they pay themselves, I really cannot help comparing them with Chen Shui Bian.

Damn shameless!

I am quite concern over several comments. Honestly speaking, I think we complain too much. Everything blame the government or others. Why not take a look ourselves first. Are we that great ? I do have a problem with this attitude. I pride myself as someone who never need to rely on the government but I also don’t blame them for the challenges i have to overcome. At least i appreciate the environment where I am given a chance to work hard and succeed compared to other countries where I am treated as second class when I was relocated there. I think disabled athletes should count themselves lucky. They are not being neglected and still have a chance to pick up sports. Someone wins gold medal, gets money, we still complain. Seriously, I am not sure why some people just like to blame. Maybe we have to many losers-to-be who do not know they are.

# 42) Jackie Tan,

Same feelins too, but….
What can citizens do to help ? What avenues are there for citizens to express ? How can citizens be assured that appropriate follow up action be taken speedily.
Complain lah – it the easiest way and may be the most effective way culturally.
Of course, and for the present, even if meant well, it is an ugly way of expression in the cause and effect process. The discourse may lie in deeper issues.
Thank you.

.

I am disturbed by some of the seemingly irresponsible and emotionally-charged comments made thus far.

Firstly, whilst I can understand the discomfort with foreigners working in Singapore, I think some simple sensitivity can be exercised.

My father came from China since he was 7 year old, and if I don’t reveal this, most people would never have been able to differentiate him from any other Singaporean around. Though he was never well educated, he persevered and worked hard to support the family. He’s not trash. Interestingly, people in that era do not see or call them foreign trash too. I am certain many of us have friends from different parts of the world, some may find it hard to assimilate but most are able to adapt and make friends with each other. They may be our competitors, some weaker than others, but I do not think they are foreign trash. I do not think there is a need to resort to distasteful name-calling.

Secondly, I do think that there has been progress in the local sports scene as well in recognising the achievements and efforts of our sportsmen and sportswomen, abled or disabled. Yes, there may be room for improvement but lets not be too quick to judge. Our government has done well, albeit imperfect in certain areas.

Thirdly, our paralympians have excelled in the games and I agree that they should be rewarded equally, as much as their supposed abled-counterparts. However, if the intended message is for Singapore to realise that the paralympians are as good or stronger than the abled sportsmen, and hence, deserve equal or more rewards for their outstanding achievements, then more needs to be done. It cannot just be a government effort, it has to be demonstrated at every level. If we feel so passionately about this, we should do more than just voicing it out over the internet. Don’t get me wrong, not that it’s not good, but we could do much more by actively engaging and persuading rich Singaporeans such as Oei Hong Leong and Wee Cho Yaw to up the stakes. The impact would be so much greater than an all-predictable government funding.