In the Team Singapore dinner on 16 December, Dr Vivian actually mentioned that Singapore is interested to host the SEA games in 2015, with it being the first international event held in the Sports Hub. The host of the 2015 games will be decided in April next year. Perhaps you based your article on Chris Chan’s comments a week earlier.

Also, I think a SEA games norm is that the host must have a national level stadium, to host the huge crowds for events like football and athletics. In the initial plans submitted to IOC for YOG however, it was already made clear that the national stadium would not be utilised given that it would be under construction. (supposed to be under construction, we all know the grand dame is still standing). If I am not wrong, athletics and soccer will be held in Bishan and Jalan Besar respectively for YOG.

So yes, I think I would rather wait for the Sports Hub to be up before we host the SEA games. I can’t imagine watching an epic Singapore vs Malaysia/Thailand football game in tiny Jalan Besar.

The real issue behind all these, might be of Singapore Government arrogance.

SEA game is small fry to them and would not allow them to show off their achievements to the white western world.

The YOG is different, it allows them to show off how much they are willing to betray its own citizens, let along fellow Asians, just to show off their economy and administration prowess to the rest of the white world.

As for the YOG, I am not sure how prestige the game is going to be.

In the case of Canada, I do not hear young, top tier athletes are prepareing for the game. I understand that funding could also be a problem for athletes still consider as kids or as they call it here in North America, “Prospects”.

There are plenty of local and regional competitions of high level available, therefore many do not want to spent the money to a far away place in the Far East and do not know what to expect of the YOG.

NOt sure if other countries have the same view of the YOG, and if top young athletes around the world are not participating, than the YOG is not going to live up to its hyperbole!

Good point made in the article. Why can’t we host the SEA Games when we can host the YOG? Between the two, while the latter is more prestigious, I think the former is more useful in terms of building up sports here in Singapore.

I have another criticism. There’s not enough attempt to get ‘buy-in’ from the citizens. I didn’t even know that we were bidding for the Inaugural Games for YOG until it was announced that we won!

Youth Olympics (YO) is more prestigious than SEA Games.

Although s’pore govt is aware S’pore might not win as many medals as SEA Games but it will definitely gererate more revenue + advertising as a host. This is a main factor why they prefer YO.

SEA Games countries are the so-call “third world countries” so S’pore govt prefer otherwise to match their status.

In 2010, Election is near. S’pore govt is hoping to have “gd feedback from the guests” to win somes votes.

It is so obvious isn’t it?

The Youth Olympics is gonna put their faces on the world stage, nevermind the millions spent.

The SEA games? for who to see? and a waste of money too!
So much for promoting sports and the spirit of Asean!

Obviously, it is not a case of CANNOT but DON’T WANT TO. If Laos, being such a poor nation, can host the Games, surely Singapore can, with or without the new National Stadium.

But it does not want to because it wants to do it in 2015 when the new stadium is ready, so that it has something grand to show off. This is yet another case of Singapore being “buay ser tong” ie not gracious and making life inconvenient for our Asean neighbours because of selfish interests.

If I am one of the other Asean countries, I will teach Singapore a lesson by NOT VOTING for Singapore to host the 2015 Games. Let those arrogant, self-serving Singaporeans wait long long, until the new sports hub is no longer new, before they get a chance to show it off.

Shame on Singapore.

We can also be tops in Sports. Why no? Like our economy in the world.

Shed that kiasu mentality that pursueing Sports doesn’t pay only then can we achieve.

For a start the country in additon to importing sporting talent we can also look after the bread & butter of our potential & current sports achievers. Sporting life is short so there has to be some kind of “job security” for our medal winners. Past sporting personnel can’t live on cheers & claps alone.

Remember Junie Sng, our 11 SEA gold medallist, who has to pursue a study career in Australia after she left sports in Singapore and never returned. Sad isn’t it? She won so many gold medals for Singapore and we can win her back? I’m not talking about the good for nothing bad-mouthing ex-Singaporeans who think the country owes them a living type. Please . . . .

We could have given such winners scholarships and provide them with jobs in their fields at sports colleges, sports admin, etc.

Not to diss the SEA Games or the Youth Olympics, but who actually watches these two sporting events, even for fans of the individual sports involved.

I wish the SEA games can merge with East Asia Games so there is a wider audience etc.

“I’m not talking about the good for nothing bad-mouthing ex-Singaporeans who think the country owes them a living type. ”

As opposed to the good for nothing million taxpayer dollars ministers.

Come on

YO is juz play, play. SEA Games is serious regional sporting event.

Actually, SEA Games is bigger scale than YOG. 4900 athletes took part in the current SEA Games. For YOG, they are expecting 3500 athletes.

Instead of asking why Singapore can host YOG and not SEA Games, why not ask HOW COME the new sport hub delay for so long? I thought we had the closing ceremony for National Stadium in 2007. The stadium is still in use after 2 years. So what exactly is that closing ceremony for?

Let me tell you why they want want to host O game rather than Sea game. As usual, they want to be the FIRST to the Youth Olympic Games. Everything must be first, anything that is not first make them stupid. They doing it for their own glory not the nation’s. They will rather spend money for YO game than Sea game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_Olympic_Games

The FIRST to host is the key to their primary decision, anything that is not first is secondary.

The SEA Games has a more important role in bonding with our neighbouring countries.
Our neighbours would feel Singapore is snobbish, prefering to host a more
prestigious event than one involving them.
There is a saying a neighbour is more precious than a distant relative in times of need. Prestige and face aside, Singapore has to go to the extent of persuading
world athletics to come here to participate in the YOG, we do not have to resort to
this for the SEA Games.
Singapore is ever ready to spend money on international events like the IMF meetings,etc., but could not allocate funds to complete the building of a new National Stadium. It is really amazing – face is so important here.

who is really taking the YOG as a serious sporting event.

1st of all
2013 is a long way
2nd of all
our kitty reserved is near ZERO
with all the treasury funds bein paid to all the overpaid ministers
last but not least
leekuanyew most probadly be dead or abdicated by then
if he is NOT aroun
why howlian?

They already lost hundred of billions due to investment gambling, and now no money left to build stadium ? What is percent of the cost of building the stadium compare to billions lost ? It obviously show that there is no money left in our state reserve, and if PAP win in next election, we be screwed with more tax and deceptive money-collection scheme, increase CPF minimum sum, charge you like hell. Vote those bloody a@#$ss HO les out before more damage is done.

Actually, I do have to agree with some of the readers in TOC that the SEA Games is more important than hosting the YOG. Yes, the YOG will probably put Singapore on the map again, but I strongly believe that it’s just a game for kids & most countries are not willing to spend money sending their juniors here; think one of the countries is USA.

The SEA Games is part of us living in this region, it’s almost like a culture for us & most of all, it’s a chance to beat our neighbours or get beat by them. It’s a healthy competition for everyone as we share very close links with each other, be it race, language or religion. It is also an opportunity for us to renew our friendship with our big brothers & to remind them how hospitable/friendly Singaporeans really are & not always just some arrogant senile old man trying to tell them how their countries should be run on TV every other day!

Why try to show off to the world when you couldn’t even get along well with your neighbours at times? Shouldn’t it be a priority to know them well so they could stand by you when times are bad? One of the things I regretted is that I didn’t learn one of the SEA country’s languages. It’s such a pity that some of my friends could speak fluent French, Spanish or even Italian but none could speak proper Thai even though they love visiting Bangkok. Most of them would consider that as a 3rd World language!!

No wonder sometimes we Singaporeans are labeled as arrogant by our neighbours!!

Alex the peasant boy on December 18th, 2009 3.54 pm -

hello “pleasant” not “peasant”.

“No wonder sometimes we Singaporeans are labeled as arrogant by our neighbours!!”

It’s better we don’t be BULLIED (no one can stop others from labelling you what’s not, isn’t it?) and have to kowtow to whoever. On par will do, baby.

What if your neighbour waves a kris (dagger) at you say “Boy, since you’re the minority, please lick my NEP boots.”
Or some big bully comes along and says hey small fry since you have so much $$$ why don’t you give us SO much as aid.

What do you know? You’re only a peasant boy not into international politics. Only the surface . . . skin deep.

HK without a standing army and the British protection is all the wiser today – “Yes Lau Tar”. Fortunately, it’s the same kind and they aren’t treated badly.

You fellows really lacking in the humanities. Didn’t pay attention or poorly taught in school?

No, the Youth Olympics is a NON-event in the global press & global sporting world. When we won the rights to host it, both the big gun news agencies CNN & BBC did not even post one tiny piece of news on it, I got the hunch already at that time that Spore Olympic Committee would have a hard time attracting world class teenager athletes to the YOG.

If the global news wire are not interested, then do you think the Olympic Committee in USA, Europe, China, Japan & Korea are interested in fielding their best athletes when their athletes’ sponsors are not getting their money’s worth in attention grabbing TV footage facing worthwhile opponents?

Spore govt made a strategic mistake in committing themselves to hosting the YOG. It was untested waters, should have let Moscow win it instead.

Its like good money thrown into the drain, like another Temasek Holdings investment venture gone wrong.

“What if your neighbour waves a kris (dagger) at you say “Boy, since you’re the minority, please lick my NEP boots.”

No one likes being robbed, ESPECIALLY those of the same kind running some kind of “protection” racket.

I could say the same about Communists looting and pillaging the “rich”.

Whatever PAP do, they want a big bang and be heard. That’s not news. It’s their style. Just like GE, they will give a big bang like giving away vouchers and gst offset.
When GE is over, they will give us another big bang. But this time round, will be 10% gst, transport fare increase, SP bill go north, etc.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

To host any games event, you have to invest on infrastructure, that is redundant after the games especially if sports aren’t that prolific as career choices, and spend on management of the event in return for brand equity and tourist money.

The decision was a smart one by the government and I hope they stick to it. YOG or SEA games are not ideal, since tourism can only provide limited financial buffer to expenditure of human resource and finances on infrastructure. The idea of hosting an event is for publicity and the tourism that will follow, either way, the SEA games have nothing to offer as Singapore’s major industrial gear lies in the finance sector, not tourism. SEA games tourists would not have a good deal of money to spend, the neighbours are economically under-developed, the events might bring additional legal problems as the guests might not be necessarily be desirable and finally that there is no real advantage in brand equity for the nation as it is a regional event.

Most importantly, Singapore is not a sporting giant – the billion-dollar facilities is not good investment. So this was a good decision logically.

22) Clement Tan on December 18th, 2009 6.04 pm -

“I could say the same about Communists looting and pillaging the “rich”. ”

You are an embarrassment. No wonder you can’t find a job. Where’s your knowledge?
The developing world including the developed is trying to learn something from China (Communist government) today. The next to be largest economy on planet earth! Under the Koumintang (democracy) the Chinese were literally eating shit and killing ine another. Oh for goodness sake! What school?

The non-communist is also corrupt.
Why the global financial meltdown?
Lehman, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis . . . . .
Sorri, I’m talking to an uneducated brainwashed goon perhaps.

Excuse me what Communist country would print money? Changing labels doesnt make something so.

If I am an “uneducated” goon, I really pity the “education” system that spawned you. So PAP is acknowledging it is a Communist party. Oh dear.

“Under the Koumintang (democracy) the Chinese were literally eating shit and killing ine another.”

And that is NOT occurring now in China 2010? The poverty gap in China is very large.
KMT is not democratic either, it is authoritarian as well.

When I refer to KMT, it is up until the 90s. Now it is a more liberal party thanks to democracy.

“No wonder you can’t find a job”

Job seeking prospects in the private sector are not tied to toadying up to the ruling party, Mr Luke. I am worried what would happen if I called him “ah Boy”.

What i really piss off is Vivian says the fund for the new sport hub is from the private sector. But why not from the govt? I think Sg is the only country whereby the sport $$ is from private sector instead from state fund. PAP treats sport like handicapped schools whereby they are not under MOE, therefore need no heavy subsidize since it has no impact to the economic.

So Sg is 6th among 11. Expect to fall further to 9th – 11th within a decade.

24) DesiDude666

The money has already been spent on infrastructure while Singapore has always said its resource is its people. If the stadium is not used and its people never experienced national pride on even the regional level, they would have wasted both?

You are also assuming the region is full of cheap people. Get off where you are and sit down with the rest of us. There are more than financial benefits to such games.

No one likes being robbed, ESPECIALLY those of the same kind running some kind of “protection” racket.

This is the biggest joke. In Singapore? 44 years of PAP governance?

Oh . . you have not been reading what the INTERNATIONAL governments & media have been singing about the Singapore’s government.

Foreigners have been flocking here especially the senior government officers from many UN sponsored countries come here frequently to see us being robbed by our PAP government. This barren, resourceless island.

What education or untruth. You’re SICK!

DesiDude666 on December 18th, 2009 6.21 pm To host any games event, you have to invest on infrastructure, that is redundant after the games especially if sports aren’t that prolific as career choices, and spend on management of the event in return for brand equity and tourist money.

The decision was a smart one by the government and I hope they stick to it. YOG or SEA games are not ideal, since tourism can only provide limited financial buffer to expenditure of human resource and finances on infrastructure. [/i]

wow! you meant YOU could afford to watch the F1 race lived with your sri lankan maid as well?
how did you FART today?
through your NOSE perhaps?

If you send an email to SSC, they will reply to you stating that the games in 2015 will be hosted…

DesiDude666 on December 18th, 2009 6.21 pm To host any games event, you have to invest on infrastructure, that is redundant after the games especially if sports aren’t that prolific as career choices, and spend on management of the event in return for brand equity and tourist money.

The decision was a smart one by the government and I hope they stick to it. YOG or SEA games are not ideal, since tourism can only provide limited financial buffer to expenditure of human resource and finances on infrastructure. [/i]

wow! you meant YOU could afford to watch the F1 race lived with your sri lankan maid as well?
how did you FART today?
through your NOSE perhaps?

By then, Our New citizens and PRs more than true-bred citizens will be cheering on their motherland comrades it were to be held in this ‘city’ if the policy of importing FT continues, so be it !!!

Wake up singaporean, think rational not emotional, will it happen when you are at the sport venues to hear the lion roars….. or are you being silenced…..

It only takes 3 years to complete the new National Stadium…starting in Jan 2010 to 31-Dec-2012.

[That S$6.59-billion ResortsWorld@Sentosa started in Dec 2006 and is conpleting in December/Janaury, ready for "soft-opening by 1st hgalf of 2010]

Allowing 6 months delay due to icnremental weather and usual “cosntruction cock-ups”, SPorts Hub should be up and running by July 2013, in time for 2013 SEA Game.

Now, which businessman in his right mind will ever turn a profit withthis newly budgeted S$1.2-bilion “WHite Elephant”?

If you readers do recalled, that P-P-P S$1-bilion LNG Terminal was turned down by a French_Local JV as “commercial not viable” and PAP Government tookover this “Naitonal Project”.

Perhaps, if negotiation is at an impasse, then PAP Governmetn wil takeover by MArch 2010?

election boundary committee may have been named. see below.

A NEW Cabinet Secretary has been named to take over from Mr Lau Wah Ming, who is retiring after 40 years in the civil service.

Mr Tan Kee Yong, 52, will take up the post on Dec 28, the same day he becomes Secretary to the Prime Minister, a post which is currently also held by Mr Lau. Apart from his other duties, the Cabinet Secretary has traditionally also been the civil servant appointed by the Prime Minister to chair the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee as and when it is appointed.

Mr Lau chaired the committee that was appointed ahead of the General Election in 2006

Sports is Sports……and Jokers in Singapore will remain as Jokers…people like Vivian should know and plan what they talk about before hand….pls for a million dollars I will know what I can do and cannot do….

Like what the earlier post said….don’t try to buy the white world alone….

It’s time for a change…we need people who mean what they say…

sorry Viv…actually liked you before you entered PAP…..

they proberbly gauged the Asian Youth Games and said No….so somebody else can lose money but not Singapore…Aiyo like that don’t say so lah…simple….

Let lose sports…stop the politics and sports will flourish on its own as well…….

Actually, Teo Ser Luck was credited for helping Singapore to win the YOG bid, thus he was promoted to parliamentary secretary for MCDYS. Guess who heads MCDYS.

singapore did not want to host the 2013 or 2015 sea games because there won’t be any more sea games in those years. don’t believe ask lyk.

haha

Kelvin, as simple as that: the greater prestige that come with the Youth Olympics. And this guy (ng ser miang) a relative of famiLEE is in the central committee of the Olympics Council. (holding a high position which I couldn’t care two-oo hoots). I just care for the poor old folks of Singapore.

Between SEA Games and Youth Olympics, it is obvious to pick the later. Lame excuses are a mere distraction.

We have learned to live with so much distractions of the PAP. Are we not sick now after 50 years of first, true, then half-true and now total lies and lies and cover-ups. We will decide when voting comes.

YOG got angmoh, SEA games got no angmo.
Simple as that.

I wonder what’s wrong with using the Grand Old Lady stadium for the SEA Games. The sporting spirit is more important than the venue. When I invite friends to my humble home, I make sure they are comfortable and have a good time, as best as I can. It does not mean I have to get a new and bigger home each I time I want to hold a get-together.
And lest we forget, the Grand Old Lady has seen the great sporting spectacle of the Malaysia Cup when over 60,000 Singaporeans delivered the Kallang Roar to help our team to sporting triumph.
A grand Sports Hub is no guarantee of a great sporting event. It may not even yield the golden harvest that we are yearning for.
I say, let’s just use the Grand Old Lady for the SEA Games and put more effort in building our sporting prowess and spirit.

ACTUALLy the author has really ask a very good question.

i did not realise this in the first place.

yeah why o games can but sea games cannot.

maybe o games has already sign contract no choice die die must go ahead if not get sue.

sea games no contract so no worries.

Folks, please don’t get mislaid. Our original plan in accordance with the MCYS’s plan was to hold the SEA games as well as the YOG if every goes as per planned.
But unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances,known only to the Minister of MCYS,the Sports Hub was repeatedly delayed. ( he had said that he deliberately delay the project so as not to let the taxpayers spend a single cent more than is necessary!)
Owing to the delay in completion of the Sports Hub,they have no alternative but to
forego the SEA games and just to concentrate on YOG! The YOG was supposed to be held in the new Sports Hub, If I’m not mistaken.
So the whole episode hinges on the delayed completion of the Sports Hub full stop!
We all know that if the MIW wants to show off what they are capable of, you think they won’t??

Perhaps the PAPies are indirectly admitting they may feel castrated in addition to being spineless after the next GE which incidently is before the SEA games.

To me a freak election result is better than winning the first olympic gold medal.

MCYS minister talked so much about our sporting nation and sporting excellence and we are going to have a $billion Sports Hub to top up all the talks!
As it is our sporting scene is nothing to crow about as compared to our neighbours. Take football for example,we have our S league for more than a decade and our footing standard still has nothing to show! We talked of playing in the World Cup final more than a decade ago. Are we any where near our target of 2010 final?
What we have to show in the world sporting arena all these years is only table-tennis.And this too can only be achieved by the imported talents!
We don’t seem to be able to tidy up our sporting backyard.
After the recent Olumpics, we have our very own table-tennis saga with our foreign coach. After the recent SEA games, we have the SAA and SSC saga.What the heck is going on?
When the top guns are busy in their ‘war’ against each other, where do they have the time and energy to guide and nurture the sportsmen and sportswomen?
It’s the responsibility of MCYS to come in and tidy up all this mess and is being long long over due!!!

YOG goes into the history books whether anyone participates or not. Importantly we get a chance to win in Olympics level the the US, Russian and Chinese teams do not want to participate.

SEA games is only within the few neighbours and we have hosted it a few times.

Given my govt love of media attention and face, which would they choose? YOG= money, SEA games? Honestly even TCS cannot really be bothered to show SEA games, what more about making money from it.

BTW i still call mediacorp TCS cause they look and sound the same