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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Fierce debate on Yahoo over SG's TT win</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Jun-4 10:51 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>34110.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Fierce debate on Yahoo News over Singapore table-tennis women team’s “victory’
June 4th, 2010 |
Author: Your Correspondent
A fierce debate broke out on Yahoo News over the Singapore women table-tennis team’s victory over China in the recent World Championship has garnered more than 2,500 comments so far, a reflection of how divided Singaporeans remain over the use of “foreign talents” to represent Singapore in international competitions. (read the comments here)
In spite of the desperate attempts of the state media to suppress the genuine sentiments of Singaporeans by its usual selective coverage, biased reporting and astroturfing tactics, netizens continue to lampoon the “hollow” victory in cyberspace.
A quick glance at the comments posted on Yahoo News shows public opinion is polarized between two camps with one calling for Singaporeans to embrace foreign sportsmen and women and another demanding that the state invests in local talents instead.
A significant proportion of Singaporeans felt that there is nothing to celebrate as the event it’s still “China’s victory” in the end since the Singapore team comprised entirely of Singaporeans born in China.
Some opined that they would be a bit more proud of the team’s achievements if there were a few native Singaporeans in it. Others said they were actually “ashamed” that Singapore “bought” the trophy with foreigners rather than nurture their own players.
It is time that the authorities pay close attention to the feedback of Singaporeans instead of dismissing them again as grouses made by a small group of disgruntled citizens.
As one netizen put it succinctly:
“I can understand the angst and discontent that some Singaporeans are feeling to have these FTs winning gold medals for Singapore instead of our own talents. Naturally, we would not feel that the glory is ours when the feat is achieved by people of another country. Our National Sports Council should conscientiously look into encouraging and supporting more of our young people to take up sports to grow our own pool of talents in this area so that any sports achievement could be truly an achievement by home grown Singaporeans and not foreigners taking up citizenship just to compete under our Singapore flag.”
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A fierce debate broke out on Yahoo News over the Singapore women table-tennis team’s victory over China in the recent World Championship has garnered more than 2,500 comments so far, a reflection of how divided Singaporeans remain over the use of “foreign talents” to represent Singapore in international competitions. (read the comments here)
In spite of the desperate attempts of the state media to suppress the genuine sentiments of Singaporeans by its usual selective coverage, biased reporting and astroturfing tactics, netizens continue to lampoon the “hollow” victory in cyberspace.
A quick glance at the comments posted on Yahoo News shows public opinion is polarized between two camps with one calling for Singaporeans to embrace foreign sportsmen and women and another demanding that the state invests in local talents instead.
A significant proportion of Singaporeans felt that there is nothing to celebrate as the event it’s still “China’s victory” in the end since the Singapore team comprised entirely of Singaporeans born in China.
Some opined that they would be a bit more proud of the team’s achievements if there were a few native Singaporeans in it. Others said they were actually “ashamed” that Singapore “bought” the trophy with foreigners rather than nurture their own players.
It is time that the authorities pay close attention to the feedback of Singaporeans instead of dismissing them again as grouses made by a small group of disgruntled citizens.
As one netizen put it succinctly:
“I can understand the angst and discontent that some Singaporeans are feeling to have these FTs winning gold medals for Singapore instead of our own talents. Naturally, we would not feel that the glory is ours when the feat is achieved by people of another country. Our National Sports Council should conscientiously look into encouraging and supporting more of our young people to take up sports to grow our own pool of talents in this area so that any sports achievement could be truly an achievement by home grown Singaporeans and not foreigners taking up citizenship just to compete under our Singapore flag.”
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