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Runner Soh Rui Yong confirms his absence from Asian Games, extends best wishes to Singapore athletics teammates

Singaporean record breaking long-distance runner Soh Rui Yong has reaffirmed his absence from the upcoming Asian Games as Singapore Athletics has announced its team for the competition held in Hangzhou, China.

Despite appeals backed by Singapore Athletics in July this year, the Singapore National Olympic Council’s decision remained unaltered.
Nonetheless, Mr Soh remains positive and extends best wishes to his fellow Singapore Athletics teammates

Published

12 months ago

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SINGAPORE: On Thursday (21 Sep), Singapore Athletics (SA) unveiled its roster for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, set to kick off on September 23rd and run until October 8th.

Singapore boasts its most extensive team to date, comprising 431 athletes across 32 sports.

In a recent update, Singaporean long-distance runner Soh Rui Yong has once again confirmed that he will not be representing Singapore at the event.

Backed by Singapore Athletics, he reached out to the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) for the second time in July 2023, hoping for reconsideration of his participation in the upcoming sporting events.

Unfortunately, Mr Soh shared that SNOC’s decision remained unchanged.

As a result, Singapore continues to lack male representation in the Asian Games’ 10,000m and marathon events, a situation likely to persist until at least the 2026 Asian Games.

Previously, under the leadership of former SNOC President Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, a controversial decision was made to exclude Mr Soh from the upcoming Asian Games.

However, two months ago, Mr Tan resigned from SNOC, as well as from his political position as a Member of Parliament of the People’s Action Party and Speaker of Parliament, following an extramarital affair.

Soh, a two-time SEA Games marathon champion, returned to international competition at the Cambodia SEA Games in May this year, where he won a silver medal in the 10,000m race.

Although Mr Soh met the Asian Games qualifying criteria for the same distance, his name strikingly did not appear on SNOC’s roster for the event.

This comes amid a protracted public feud between Soh and SNOC, largely fueled by Soh’s social media postings.

Despite Soh and Singapore Athletics’ (SA) efforts to appeal the decision, SNOC stood firm on its stance.

They cited Soh’s failure to “honour commitments” and his continuation of “disparaging and derisive remarks about others in the public domain.”

In his latest Facebook post, Mr Soh extended his well-wishes to Mr Tan while also pointing out the irony of the situation.

He observed that it was ironic that the very organization Mr Tan had led saw fit to pass judgment on his “conduct.”

Additionally, Mr Soh took the opportunity to highlight his achievements, which he believes make him a qualified participant in major sporting events:

  • Marathon: Qualified once with a time of 2:22:59 (National Record) against the qualifying mark of 2:23:42 at the 2021 Valencia Marathon.
  • 10,000m: Surpassed the qualifying mark of 31:44.14 five times in total – 31:34, 31:28, 31:25, 31:12 (National Record), 31:10 (National Record again).

He emphasized that he became the first Singaporean man to meet the qualifying marks for both the 10,000m and marathon, achieving this feat six times in under two years.

“Yet, despite these credentials, I wasn’t selected by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) for the Asian Games, even after appealing twice. ”

Mr Soh’s spreading positivity and well-wishes to fellow athletes

Despite this setback, Mr Soh expressed his determination to focus on the positives and extended his best wishes to his Singapore Athletics teammates.

“Our nation’s athletics is experiencing a golden era with record-breaking athletes, led by none other than Asian champion Shanti Pereria. Let’s cheer them on in Hangzhou! ”

He also sent his best wishes to all his opponents whom he will not have the chance to compete against, especially the Indonesian team.

“Special shoutout to Agus Prayogo (marathon), Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon (10,000m) and Robi Syanturi (5,000m), all of whom I had the chance to race back in Cambodia.”

“Best wishes to the Thai distance runner Kieran Tuntivate of the Bowerman Track Club – as a fellow Southeast Asian it’s exciting to watch Thailand have a shot at an Asian Games gold medal in distance running. It looks set to be an exciting 10,000m and 5,000m!”

Soh was excluded from the Asian Games due to social media comments regarding past controversies with Tan Chuan-Jin

Mr Soh was accused of not honouring his commitments to the SNOC, including those made following his participation in the Cambodia 2023 SEA Games.

SNOC provided a 30-page document detailing the problematic posts from March to May 2023, and a six-page document on Mr Soh’s comments made on a podcast by Shasi Kumar, a former professional footballer, as the Straits Times has reported.

He has also previously accused Mr Tan, also a former Army General, of blocking him on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, hindering communication and exacerbating their disagreements.

In a Facebook post on his non-selection in 2019, Mr Soh criticized the SNOC and its president, saying, “I’m disappointed that SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin and his team have chosen to behave in such a petty manner. This is akin to primary school playground politics where kids go, ‘I don’t friend you already!’ just because you say something they don’t like.”

 

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Crime

Singaporean fugitive deported from Thailand, to be charged with drug trafficking

A Singaporean fugitive arrested in Thailand, was deported to Singapore on 19 September 2024 and faces drug trafficking charges. Authorities expect him to face the death penalty under Singapore’s tough drug laws for running a smuggling operation between Thailand, Australia, and Singapore.

Published

17 mins ago

on

19 September 2024

By

A 31-year-old Singaporean man, wanted for drug trafficking offences, was arrested in Thailand and deported to Singapore on 19 September 2024.

The fugitive, identified as Benny Kee Soon Chuan, was apprehended by Thai police at his residence near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and will face charges in court on 20 September.

Kee, described as a high-level trafficker, ran a smuggling operation that trafficked crystal methamphetamine, ketamine, and Ecstasy to Australia and Singapore using Thailand as a transit hub, according to Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon, secretary-general of Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

Cross-Border Investigation and Arrest

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) of Singapore had issued an arrest warrant for Kee following investigations into two drug trafficking cases in December 2020 and November 2022.

He had been on the run since 11 April 2016, prompting CNB to collaborate with its international counterparts, including the ONCB. Thai authorities were tipped off by CNB on 12 August 2024, and after weeks of investigation, Kee was apprehended on 17 September.

Thai immigration officials revealed that Kee had entered Thailand earlier in 2024 using a Vanuatu passport.

Following his arrest, Kee’s Thai visa was cancelled, and assets worth 15 million baht (S$585,000), including luxury watches, gold pieces, and a luxury car, were seized during a raid on his residence in Samut Prakan.

Lt Gen Panurat confirmed that the fugitive had been living an affluent lifestyle in Thailand despite lacking legitimate employment.

Links to Broader Drug Network

Kee is believed to be linked to other Singaporean traffickers involved in the smuggling of drugs from Thailand.

In March 2021, Thailand’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force (AITF) intercepted packages containing Ecstasy and ketamine destined for Singapore, as well as crystal methamphetamine bound for Australia.

Two other Singaporean men, aged 21 and 29 at the time of their arrests, were later sentenced to imprisonment and caning in Singapore for their involvement in these operations, which were connected to Kee’s trafficking network.

Death Penalty Under Singaporean Law

Kee’s deportation to Singapore brings him under the jurisdiction of Singapore’s severe drug laws, which prescribe the death penalty for those convicted of trafficking substantial amounts of controlled substances.

Singaporean authorities have indicated that he could face the death penalty under the country’s strict drug trafficking laws. Pol Lt Gen Panurat indicated that Singaporean authorities are expected to seek the maximum penalty for Kee’s alleged offences.

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Arts & Culture

Epigram Books to close SAM bookshop amid low sales and footfall

Epigram Books will shut down its bookshop at the Singapore Art Museum on 26 January 2025, citing low sales and foot traffic. The independent bookstore, known for supporting local authors, will continue to operate its online store, but its future in brick-and-mortar retail is uncertain.

Published

56 mins ago

on

19 September 2024

By

Epigram Books, a major supporter of Singaporean literature, will close its Epigram Coffee Bookshop at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) on 26 January 2025.

The decision comes after years of struggling with low sales and foot traffic at the Tanjong Pagar Distripark location, marking the end of the bookstore’s three-year lease.

The announcement on 19 September follows Times Bookstores’ closure of its final outlet in Holland Road, highlighting the growing challenges faced by brick-and-mortar bookstores in Singapore.

Edmund Wee, publisher at Epigram Books, expressed disappointment, stating: “We tried everything to make this work. Over the past three years, we’ve often asked ourselves, how many people even knew our bookstore existed here, let alone visited?”

Despite efforts to boost traffic, including operating shuttles to increase accessibility, the bookstore struggled to attract visitors consistently.

Epigram Coffee Bookshop, previously located at the Urban Redevelopment Authority Centre on Maxwell Road and later in a pop-up at Beach Road, relocated to SAM in May 2022 in partnership with Balestier Market Collective.

The 20-seater store featured towering shelves showcasing local and Southeast Asian titles, including books from other independent publishers like Ethos Books and Math Paper Press.

However, the location’s industrial setting, which only saw spikes in visitors during major exhibitions like Olafur Eliasson’s, limited consistent footfall.

The closure coincides with the end of Eliasson’s exhibit on 22 September 2024. Although the exhibition provided a temporary boost to the bookshop’s sales, Epigram noted that the increased traffic was short-lived.

Epigram’s future in physical retail remains uncertain. Mr Wee indicated that high rental costs make reopening a physical store unlikely: “Unless rent prices relent, it’s unlikely we’ll move into another space.”

Epigram Books has been a significant presence in Singapore’s independent book scene, promoting local authors and holding literary events.

The bookshop was also a community hub for the literary arts, hosting numerous book launches and events supporting local writers. “These spaces are special to our literary arts community. They’re where book lovers gather, where literary events and book launches happen in support of our writers,” said Mr Wee.

Despite the closure of the SAM store, Epigram will continue to operate its online store. The publisher emphasized the need for continued support from readers: “We’ve come this far with everyone’s support, and we look forward to continued support from our readers as we transition to focus on online sales.”

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