I was kinda pissed off when I saw this video clip.
9.- (2) No person in possession of the Flag shall allow or cause the
Flag to touch the floor or ground, even when lowering the Flag from
a staff or flagpole.
Li Jiawei requested to be the flag bearer for the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Singapore National Olympic Council gave her the chance. But nobody teach her how to hold the flag properly. The angle is too low. The tip of the flag is dragging the ground. Why didn’t anyone teach her how to hold the flag?
I know this is an accident. I don’t believe she dare to do this on purpose. But it is a big mistake. It is not just touching the floor for a while. It is dragging on the stadium floor most of the time. How could someone be so careless when holding the national flag infront of the whole world? If she put in extra care when holding the flag, this wouldn’t had happened. I already find it disgraceful when our national flag is being carried by a foreign talent during the opening ceremony. She have to rub salt into the wound by dragging my flag across the stadium.
I know, you might think that all these are just foreign talent bashing. But I’ll do the same if a local did this. That is my flag! You represent Singapore when you are holding that flag. This is no child play. It is an important task and she have to mess it up.
Been reading the discussion online about this issue. Some defended her by saying that she is too short. Well, if she is too short, then maybe they should appoint someone taller to hold our flag up high. But look at the flag bearer for Japan. She seems shorter than Li Jiawei. Yet their flag is upright and never touching the floor. It is the method of holding the flag. She didn’t hold it properly. And there is no excuse for that.
Super pissed off.
That is my flag dragging on her motherland for the entire world to see.
PS: It is interesting to note that STOMP has removed the article related to this incident.
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 4:01 AM
[...] of the Beijing Olympics Stadium” with Singapore’s national flag, there is no way how some of us can accept this incident. If you are unable to live up to the responsibilities, don’t [...]
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 7:30 AM
Heh.. I believe she could be charged in court for this.. anyway.. it’s a very embarassing thing for all Singaporeans.. and the last thing she should be doing is coming up excuses…
NTTs last blog post..Ambar..
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 9:11 AM
committing crime on foreign soil means follow their law.. right? (in this case, which is like….. ermm… got law?)
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 9:14 AM
video has been taken down……
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Haha, looks like everything is going to be white-washed! I thought that the propaganda department was taking a break during National Day and missed it! Now we’ll all go back to our lives, safe and sound! If it isn’t reported in the newspapers, it didn’t happen!
pkchukisss last blog post..2 down, 4 more to go
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 10:30 AM
I actually didn’t like the way the Japanese girl hold the flag. like playing with the flag like that.
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 10:38 AM
If LiJiaWei didn’t notice the flag touching the ground, did the rest behide not notice? If they did, why didn’t they inform her? If they didn’t inform her, did they not know or they also heck care?
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 11:17 AM
[...] DK of blog.dk.sg, It is dragging on the stadium floor most of the time. How could someone be so careless when [...]
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
NTT: I doubt so. She is like a gold medal now. They won’t charge her. Anyway, no point charging her.
CC: Not necessary lor.
Jialiat: No leh. Video still there. Think need to take screenshot in case they take down the video.
pkchukiss: We shall see. This news is too big for the traditional media to cover up.
UFC: That 1 is for Japanese themselves to complain. We can’t say anything about it. I think we can’t blame the rest of the sportsmen behind. She is holding the flag. It is her responsibilities.
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 10:25 PM
[...] blogger DK spoke his mind… Li Jiawei requested to be the flag bearer for the Olympics Opening Ceremony. [...]
on Aug 10th, 2008 at 10:42 PM
[...] blogger DK spoke his mind… Li Jiawei requested to be the flag bearer for the Olympics Opening Ceremony. [...]
on Aug 11th, 2008 at 11:49 AM
[...] Olmpics – Endoh’s Dungeon: Is the sky crying for Singapore? – DK: That is my flag dragging on her motherland for the entire world to see – I.Z. Reloaded: Li Jiawei drags the Singapore Flag during the Olympics Opening Ceremony – EDMW: li [...]
on Aug 11th, 2008 at 3:45 PM
it’s not in the news yet right? hmm…
on Aug 11th, 2008 at 4:07 PM
[...] like the embodiment of all the screwed-up policies being showcased to the world. I heard she did a pretty bad job at it too, dragging the flag along while the rest of the countries were holding theirs high and proud. [...]
on Aug 11th, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Exactly!
What the hell are the officials in the marching team doing? This is definitely not acceptable. This calls for a national apology by her.
But then, it will be a “honest mistake, let’s move on….” kind of thing. Let’s see how our government values the sentiments of the true Singaporeans who complained about the disrespect to our national flag.
From the responses of our government, we will know how much they “value our foreign talents” when they have performed an unspeakable error. (Feedback teams on the prowl, you should send it up higher)
I believe that she will not do that when she was a Chinese citizen.
on Aug 11th, 2008 at 10:48 PM
[...] Flag dragging controversy aside, I believe this is a relevant question that we should be asking. Given our population of 4 million, why can’t we produce winners ourselves instead of importing them? And even if they do win a medal, would they be proud to be Singaporeans or would they be more proud to be where they were from? [...]
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 6:01 PM
You are dangerous. First you call ping.sg your community, now you call singapore flag your flag. Dangerous. You better wake up before you get too emo again.
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Tran: Where and when did I call ping.sg my community? Please provide url/log/screenshot.
And what’s wrong with calling Singapore Flag as “My Flag”. Don’t you remember the lyrics of “We are Singapore”?
“This is my country, this is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, these are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans”
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 7:15 PM
My country?
Hmmm….. let me check and get back to you on this. At the meantime, let’s sing the song.
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 9:48 PM
The NATIONAL COAT OF ARMS OF SINGAPORE states that: “Respect for Flag
9.—(1) No person shall treat the Flag with disrespect.
(2) No person in possession of the Flag shall allow or cause the
Flag to touch the floor or ground, even when lowering the Flag from
a staff or flagpole.
She is paid handsomely here, given a citizenship and yet dare to show such disgraceful behaviour. We are not Talibans, but this is no small matter and she must be purnished.
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 9:49 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1GNxnF1rB0
on Aug 15th, 2008 at 11:00 PM
She’s on her motherland and she is a Beijinger, what do people expect of her? Carry another country’s flag high and proudly? And risk her parents and 18 levels of her relatives harassed by her fellow countrymen. She would rather antagonize a country of only 4.5 million people who cannot do anything to her. *shrugs shoulders*
eastcoastlifes last blog post..Colourful Traditional Chinese Wedding – PhotoHunt
on Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:38 AM
[...] Olympics – Endoh’s Dungeon: Is the sky crying for Singapore? – DK: That is my flag dragging on her motherland for the entire world to see – I.Z. Reloaded: Li Jiawei drags the Singapore Flag during the Olympics Opening Ceremony – [...]
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 10:21 PM
[...] to know the Singapore history. You don’t need to understand Singapore culture. You can even drag the Singapore flag on the floor for the world to see. So long as you get the medal under Singapore flag, the rest doesn’t [...]
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 10:40 PM
you chilly crabs always think you are the elite of Asia and having a “foreign talent” to carry the flag and winning a medal must really hurt your pride doesnt it ?
poor sods … feel sorry for you lahhhhh
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 12:57 PM
flag heavy? my foot
http://img2.cache.netease.com/2008/2008/8/8/200808082234489a178.jpg
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Give her a break lah , u people , boliao leh ! Try to flag the flag if you are given a chance before saying anything ! I don’t know her and I’m a 100% singaporean but I can’t stand all of you and hope all of you give others a chance and don’t be so mean.
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Good luck on trying to white wash the video….the Olympics Opening Ceremony Beijing DVD should be out anytime soon. Beijing probably already made 3 billion copies for sale worldwide…..and everyone can see.
on Aug 21st, 2008 at 1:17 AM
I am really upset and embarrassed that our flag is not held upright but being dragged for a considerable period of time. I wonder how SM Lee or any of our ministers will feel when they see this video… I think that SG should choose the right flag bearer in future after understanding his/her real feelings to Singapore by observing him/her. It need not be the case that she must be a real Singaporean by birth but she must be a real Singaporean by heart…. I really fear that one day Singapore will be filled up with foreign talents who do not have a sense of belonging to our nation but who see our country as a land of gold. But still, that is what our great great grandparents see Singapore as – a country to escape poverty, when they first migrated to Singapore. So the thing is that sense of belonging will not be instilled overnight but after many generations.
on Aug 29th, 2008 at 12:39 AM
this issue is blown much to big, it’s getting out of proportion. sure it’s a big thing, but i guess there’s always a time for things to end. i really hope that people around singapore will stop talking about this and.. move on i guess?
on Aug 29th, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Grace: Personally, I don’t think that this issue has gone out of proportion. The mainstream media are trying to cover up by not reporting the uproar on the internet.
End of the day, I feel that getting a medal doesn’t mean you can get away with something wrong. I don’t think there is a need for fine or anything. But the least she should do is to admit that the flag wasn’t carried in a position with it deserved to be and apologise for it.