Leong Sze Hian -
I was told that the mother of a Natonal Servicemen (NS Men) was griping about her son not being able to attend a family event because he had been ordered to attend the Youth Olympics Games as a spectator.
He will be given an early dismissal from the army camp, to go home to change to civilian clothes to attend a YOG event.
She is rather concerned that although her son would normally already be very tired after a day’s training, he would still have to go for the YOG event, which finishes very late.
Does YOG or the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) reimburse such NSmen for their transportation costs, to and from the YOG event?
Are they reimbursed for any meal and drink during the event? Or are they served free food, like the ones that have been highlighted online?
Are their attendance taken at the event to ensure that they turn up?
It was reported in The Online Citizen article – “YOG – Another farce?” (Jul 10) – that the sluggish sales of 320,000 YOG tickets on 26 May mysteriously shrunk to 245,000 on 7 July, of which 80,000 of the more than 100,000 sold were purchased by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
MOE declined to disclose how much they paid for the tickets, or how much the schools and students allocated tickets may have to pay.
Does MINDEF have to pay for the tickets like those bought by MOE?
From brisk sales of close to 50 per cent of the 245,000 tickets sold (or about 38 per cent of the original 320,000 tickets figure), it then became 70 per cent sold on 2 August, according to the report “YOG ticket sales picking up, with 70% sold” (Channel News Asia, 2 August).
Were any of these tickets taken by MINDEF?
If more than 70 per cent had been sold as of 2 August, why is there a need to send NSmen to be spectators?
Are the amounts paid by MOE and MINDEF included in the almost-more-than-four times YOG budget over-run of $387 million?
If not, then what is the additional sum to the total YOG costs?
By the way, I think the media may not know how to count, as every media report said that the YOG budget was three times over-run. $387 million divided by the original budget of $104 million is about four times over-budget, or about 300 per cent over-budget!
Why is it that there have been no media reports about MINDEF taking YOG tickets and the costs of these?
Are the T-shirts given to all ministry staff the same as those given to volunteers?
If they are different, how much do they cost and how many were given away to each of the two groups?
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i can confirm this.
I was a SAF staff, i have recieve Email from our Hd Manpower to give us tickets to watch soccer match in YOG.
It was given free just reply and reserve the tickets for us.
So for the men was force to go or not i got no comment for it.
I just come back from YOG haha
Was told to help up as volunteer BUT must take leave.
wah, not bad eh! kill 2 birds with 1 stone, kenna told to pose as volunteers still have to take own leave, not bad!
wow, times have really changed. its now national duty to show face?
seriously, how can NSmen be used & abused like maids? if our NSmen really so free nothing to do during their 2 years can approve early discharge? waste of manpower.
They should get new citizens and PR to attend.
the following video reminds us what it used to be,
- the whole nations cheers.
- a sense of connectedness among Singaporeans.
- support was bottom up, not top down.
- support was spontaneous.
- enthusiasm was geuinely expressed, not wayang.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owyd21KNM7c
So what makes Singaporeans genuinely and spontaneously stand up to support and cheer? And why has it disappeared? Food for thot.
Singaporeans humiliating Singaporeans. How sad it is.
Suppose you are now the president of the Singapore olympic committee, what would you have done? Do nothing even if there is going to be poor turnout? In an international event like this, Singapore reputation is at stake.
Note that I am not saying the singapore government is always right. But, yog is an international event.
So next time PAP election rally also adopted similar method to mobilise manpower and create false supporting crowd? PAP will never be able to beat the genuine crowds showed up at WP election rally in previous election campaign.
Same old life of a NSF. We’re just body count.
Is anyone aware that many SAF regulars are asked to ‘volunteer’ at the YOG as well? And that they work for long hours, are not given meals, and not even a room to sleep in after a late shift till 2 am??
Mr.David, I very agreed with you, they offer free transport and chicken rice to the person who antand the election rally. It is very false at all. vote pap out as soon as possible
Charm si. All these reflections of unhappiness in YOG. Of people not proud and not happy to volunteer wholeheartedly even complain volunteer work tiring, food not good enough etc etc. Of people wont pay jus to support YOG and even given free tickets, also dont want, also can complain.
About time the Govt mus know this is what they will get if they dont set good good examples themselves and love and treat their own people well.
Time they mus know too that their pets [new citizens and PRs] will also not be free volunteers or give free support of their time and effort to them cos:
- they (pets) will not be their sheeps and slaves and only interested in what the Govt can do for pets and not what they(pets) can do for Govt;
- they(pets) got zilch loyalty and no real love for them in spite of their fondness and pamperings for pets as they(pets) are jus self-seeking, money faced and greedy opportunists;
- they (pets) are not beholden to them but they are beholden to pets else pets will fart in their faces and bite their hands.
Mobilise poly students to be “volunteers” and feed them dog food.
Mobilise primary school kids on a saturday to stand in the rain to cheer the yog torch.
Mobilise NSF to fill up seats when there is no audience.
In the end, our MSM write some big wayang story about how successful it was. Our elites take credit and our peasants do all the sacrifice.
This whole YOG is about face, nothing more. Too bad we’re the ones who have to suffer for their face.
what do you expect from the miw, screw the people and call them “dafts” and what else and the people will come back to thank them and “please screw me again”
locals like to be screwed everynow and then, get used to it.
The move to get NSmen and school kids into the spectating crowd clearly defines the lack of interest abou the so-called “best show on Earth”.
the whole event still need SAF to support
reason?
SAF is the onely place where have ton of free labour
6DOV was taked to do the opening and closing committee.
1SIR full force was taked to do the traffice control.
this already help them save ton of money.
No forget the CEO of YOG is an ex BG.
Each reharsal u can c DPM Teo, CDF, COA, Dr Vivian all turn up.
That show how they concern abt this YOG\.
SAF NS MEN is unfortunate and bullied by all the top people
@hongjun – how is it an international event when the international community doesn’t care, as seen from the NON-reporting in real press like CNN / BBC etc.
NS is supposed for nation defense, not to fill up seats in YOG event. PAP know no shame.
This kind of situation happens only when citizens are very unhappy with the government.
Now, anything organize by the government will not have people support, unless they start cracking their heads to make us happy.
We are struggling to survive everyday without break and with miserable income to pay bills to the government.Where to find time for those wasteful events just to support their political agendas
Many years back, when come national day, people happily display the country flag, now the RC has to do it just to save face.
No doubt, national day is not PAP but they always relate themselves to any events in Singapore. Why? Any event that involve politicians, people will avoid especially from some useless PAP members.
Very hearthening indeed as signs are pointing to the citizenry of the hypocracies,high-handedness,low grade performances by the so called elites and their other disasterous policies.With the influx of so many foreigners and escalating costs of living,time is right for a great happenning to come to our impoverished and yoked citizenry.The net of justice will soon unfurl its power and subdue these demons.
I feel very sad watching the old video of the soccer games of the past. Frankly, I wished we have the same spiritedness now for the YOG…but the organisers and politicians have themselves to blame….
Having said that, after YOG I am sure VB will be promoted and he will be re-elected…so my dreams of the old video spirit…will remain dreams forever, sad…
Jurong Island should have enough manpower. our govt support them, even provide NSFs for additional security, surely they cannot be seen to just take & take? and S’pore, give & give?
The YOG opening is a great success and pleasure to witness and we soaked in the Olympian atmosphere. It is worth every cent we paid for the tickets. Our friends from around the world also enjoyed themselves with songs and dances. What a tremendous evening! Of course the detractors were disappointed and angry of its success as it is their failure. They were the sour grapes and shame to be born a Singaporean!
dear mrs madam mother
it is with great honour we hav selected your precious son to be a flagwaver for the present YOG event in return for his commitment to defend our country..we also ensured his ration pack is not the standard can food as packed by yeohiapseng inc..our food is very very high standard..i piece of fried chicken(sorry not kentucky) 1 lum of rice and 1 timoon..
sorry no hums included because our prince don’t know hum come with what dishes…
alternatively..we can alway send your son for a pre-ippt test…its YOUR choice
minister of defence
I am old enough to remember that one of the hallmarks of Singapore was its excellent organisational skills. Anything organised by Singapore went like clock-work. It was something we were extremely proud of.
It is really sad, but we have well and truly gone into reverse. Selamat would never have escaped in days gone by. The YOG would be running more smoothly than silk.
What has gone wrong? Clearly the scholars approach is not producing results. The approach essentially selects Ministers and senior government bureaucrats on the basis of their JC exam results. None of those in positions of authority in Singapore today seem to have learnt much at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge or wherever they went to. Just pass your exams, get your degree and your life is a bed of roses from then on.
They talk rubbish. They are intellectually soft and flabby. There is just no dissent or debate. It is sycophancy and group-think to the nth degree.
The do not have the skills to organise a church raffle.
Their approach to productivity by employing slave labour from overseas is a bankrupt one.
All of this does not augur well for Singapore and Singaporeans.
In the end, Singapore is no more no less that a large corporation, a la Enron, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Barings Bank etc. Look what happened to them!!
Devagi
It is worth every cent we paid for the tickets. Our friends from around the world also enjoyed themselves with songs and dances
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ello tangachi el pudek…
you sured enjoyed what..imagine if i were in jalan besar stadium payin(wah you realLEE buy your ticket) 1 seater..endup with 6 more koson seats
i could hav stretched me whole body together with my srilankan maid feedin me grapes while i choked on a glass of tody..
when you danced..do you twist your head and runnin aroun the lampost(sorry no coconut tree in jalan besar stadium) round and round
Same as grass looters bus loaded to PAP election rallies.
So,are the boys of Fandi legally bound to do NS or not?
If the boys have been citizens passed the age of 11 years, they have no escape route.
TRUE?Teo Shirk Luck avoiding the issues?
@iamaYOGhogger: Wah, so glad to know you patronised jalan besar stadium to support YOG. Well done. Keep it up!
PROBABLY ‘BROUGHT DOWN’ FOR TELLING TOO MANY TRUTHS ABOUT YOG SCREW-UPS.
Wa lau, I hear YOG tickets all sold out. Now black market price for one ticket already 6 time higher!
Gov warn public is illegal buy YOG tickets inside black market! Better carefull har, dont say I never warn you all!
I am a die-hard opposition supporter…just that half-way through my life (according to expectancy) I have yet to have the chance to vote, haha. Anyway, saw the opening ceremony and am impressed with it. Compared to that of Beijing, we are mediocre but then Beijing has plenty of manpower and money to spare but that is a benchmark which I doubt many other countries can emulate. But the World Cup opening ceremony is still pretty fresh in my mind and gosh, that was pathetic, vuvuzela and all.
Oops, i mean beijing olympic opening ceremony is a benchmark which i doubt many other countries CANNOT emulate. I still have a video copy of the ceremony and it brings goosebumps seeing fellow Chinese putting up such a wonderful display. Looking forward to their National Day Parade.
Devagi
i think u have been watching with yr eye close hahahahah
So thoughtful to give early dismissal. So that the NSMen can go home to change to CIVILIAN ….. why? Of course to make it look like citizens supporting the event. Wayang also must make it more realistic ma …. can’t expect Singaporeans, as draft as they are, to believe when the spectators are wearing Number 4 right?
Devagi
I pains me to see such comments saying genuine Singaporeans as detractors. Obviously you are also one of those blind to what the policy makers are doing. You can see no wrong because you are either one of them, you have benefited (monetarily) greatly from them or you have a questionable character to begin with. Don’t be blinded by your monetary greed and their main stream propaganda. Use your five senses wisely and question things.
Dear SpiritofSingapore, thank you for the excellent video clips. I WAS THERE during those days where our pride was build upon the selfless sacrifice of these national footballers.
We remembered most of them, S. Rajagopal, V.Sundrumurthi, Mat Noh, Dollah Kassim, Kim Song and brothers, Eric Paine, Samad Alapitchay… and many many more…
These players gave Singapore their youth, representing the country because of the pride that comes with donning the national colour, NOT the money! The common people were there to support them, love them, ‘hate’ them, adore them, embraced them…
Not even the medals from the Olympics by purchased players overseas can rekindled that kind of national unity.
Where can we get these clips? I think we should publicise this national unity once again and live the glory even though it has already become history. BECAUSE with the current leadership, it is impossible to relive this dream again.
@Devagi.
You don’t have to prove to us that you are ignorant.
Why else would you sink so low as to resort to bootlicking?
if YOG indeed relied on that much civil service help, how come budget still shoot through the roof? ain’t that even more fishy?
so for MSM to proclaim YOG a success they need to prove that money can be & will be more than earned back to recover the cost of hosting YOG in the shortest time possible. if not get our Labour Chief to issue red card for low productivity!
hahaa…
the happiest person will the the Olympic Committee. Little payment, still got income cos gahman want save face.
As usual, Singaporeans will all lose out.
Look at the number of immigrants siphoning $$$$ back to their home town. Is scary.
Thats what make me resent over the national service i needed to serve back in my time. The government is always exploiting its own citizen.
THANK GOD…they did not activate MOB to attend YOG events
Indeed most citizens seizing chance to tramp on the gov and its organisation. Why? People are getting damn frustrated with their excuses and screw ups and piling lots of pressure on citizens and asking citizens to embrace millions of FTs.
Yog is a good event, but people are all overwhelmed with anger and frustration to find the needle find faults and blame.
And worst, a lot of volunteers who did service out of goodwill are served dog food. And this sort of reflect government policies of degenerating citizens while self serving millions and importing millions of FTs to replace citizens.
This is the kind of society today. Trace back 10 or 20 years ago, the society did not behave in such way.
If they have balls, call for election now. They dont….
The most brillant idea — make new citizens and PR attend.
Thanks NS for new citizens & PR 15
They should get new citizens and PR to attend.
what is worse than NSmen as spectators are the treatment of NSmen on duty. Under the order of BG Ismail Ishak are NSmen who have to continuously serve their duties yet were not even given transport home after their duties but were confined, a few hundred men to a room and not permitted to go home till dawn. Some of them have to do guard duties the previous night and following that to go field camp.
It is totally irrational to on the one hand, dish out all the VIP treatment to foreign athletes and officials, red carpet and limousines to bring them around, special lanes to give them priority transport to and fro and our Singaporena NSmen are not even allowed to go home to a good night rest because no transport can be provided? SAF cannot mobilise transport for a few hundred men in peace time? Or are they saving up to spend on foreigners instead?
It is totally outrageous to see such different treatment to foreigners vs Singaporeans who serve and sweat for our nation. There is something very wrong with the priorities of this government and this will anger our people to a great extent if they still continue their wanton ways.
Its such a hypocritic move to force NSmen to attend the games just to fill up the seats.
It is not only a laughing stock in sinkapor, but also to the world.
Hmmmmmmm…… Why is there so much grumbles about Yog? Food for thought. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……….
I don’t understand why the Mom is complaining about this: doesn’t she know that her son’s life belongs to the government when he is doing NS? She should be grateful that her son is just a spectator. I remember during my time that our CO “volunteered” our battalion to run 1/4 marathon on a Sunday morning for the Singapore Marathon preparation runs. My Bn was also “volunteered” to do NDP preparations.
So I’m not at all surprised that NSmen have “volunteered” to burn their weekends and time off to watch YOG.
YOG opening impressive meh?…I laugh so loudly and fell when I saw “Mechanical like movement of Doves Wing Flapping ”
It was a Joke to Pen Institue or even to hve “Star Wars” office based in SG…Pai Seh ..tis kind of animation standard oso acceptable ???
senior experience old guard 15 August 2010
Wa lau, I hear YOG tickets all sold out. Now black market price for one ticket already 6 time higher!
Gov warn public is illegal buy YOG tickets inside black market! Better carefull har, dont say I never warn you all!
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wah! you are even btter than pudek devagi
tickets sold out?
indeed sold out bought by minDEF meninblack…