And so we got an Olympic silver medal in the Women Table Tennis competition. Or did we?
Rightfully, I should be jumping in joy, celebrating Singapore’s victory. After all, its our first Olympic medal since independence. But I seriously couldn’t find the sense of pride and glory in me. The feeling just isn’t right. It doesn’t feel like we won. It feel like China B team won. Or we purchased the medal by hiring mercenaries to fight for us.
We got a silver medal. But did we get the same glory that is supposed to come together with the medal? I’m sure there are many people out there who disagree with me on this. But I don’t feel the glory in it.
The feeling is completely different. In fact, I feel more pride when Joscelin Yeo took part in the Swimming competition back in Athens Olympic, 2004. She didn’t win anything. She didn’t even make it pass the heats. In fact, she performed badly. But she is a 100% Singaporean. And I’m proud that she could represent Singapore. Same goes to many other born in Singapore athletes who represented Singapore in all major sporting events. I’m proud to see them taking part in international competitions. They truly represent Singapore.
But I really don’t feel any pride when the Singapore Female Table Tennis Team won an Olympic Medal. Not because I don’t love Singapore. But because I don’t feel any connections. Yes, they are wearing Team Singapore uniform. They raise the Singapore flag. But are they our people? Do they represent Singapore?
I have nothing against foreigners who feel that Singapore is a better place and wish to call Singapore home. But are they here because they feel that Singapore is a better place? Or is it because we pay them a lot of money? Is their heart with Singapore or Singapore Dollar?
I’m not slamming the foreign talents in Singapore. You might want to read my National Day blog entry first to know my stand on foreign talents in Singapore. I’m not against foreign talents who come to Singapore on their own without any incentive from the government. But I’m slamming the Foreign Talent Scheme in Singapore. Why are we spending so much on getting foreign talents to join us? Those money could be put in better use. We could use it to build better sporting facilities for Singaporeans to train. We could research on better swimming suits or training methods. We could even use those money to help the poor.
Actually, I was praying that the South Korean will win Singapore on Friday. Not because I like South Korean or hate Singapore. In fact, I do feel bad when I was rooting for another country to win. But I couldn’t bring myself to support a team made up of migrants who came to Singapore because they are being paid to help us win medal. I’m against the Foreign Talent Scheme. I was supporting the anti foreign talent scheme camp. But I lost.
Friday was a night of mixed reaction for me. Everyone around me is celebrating Singapore’s victory. But I was morning the death of Singapore sporting scene. Their victory has become a precedent that the foreign talent scheme works. It will be the model case study for all future cases. And the Singapore Sport Council will have more ammo in terms of money to get more foreign talents to Singapore. Forget about grooming the locals. Why invest in such a big risk? Just go buy another athletes from elsewhere to help us win. Besides, other countries are doing that too. So why not Singapore?
Yes, the Foreign Talent Scheme works in the sense that it does bring us an Olympic medal. But it kills the entire local sporting scene. How do we groom local athletes when all we think about is to bring foreign talents in to help us win? How do the local athletes gain international competition exposure when we always send foreign talents oversea? How do we motivate our local athletes when all the media attention are on the foreign talents? Who will dare to send their child to the Sport School when there is a high chance that we will bring in a foreign talent to replace them if they don’t perform up to standard?
We are only interested in the results. Not the process in getting the results. It doesn’t matter who gets the medal. You don’t need to be a local. You don’t need to stay in Singapore for long. You don’t need to speak with a Singapore acent. You don’t need 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 matter.
This is the sad state of Singapore sporting scene. And it will remain this way until someone wakes up from the medal chasing dream. It’s not about medal. It’s about representation. It’s about national identity. And this foreign talent scheme is eroding our national identity, if there is any to begin with.
So while everyone is out there celebrating the Olympic medal, I sit infront of my computer with mixed reaction. I should be happy that Singapore finally won a medal after 48 years. But I just couldn’t feel the pride and glory. In fact, I feel sad because we will start having the mentality of getting new migrants to help us in sports.
Congrats to Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu and Feng Tianwei for winning the Silver Medal. But sorry, I don’t know how to celebrate your victory.
I end this blog entry with 2 paragraph. One from BBC Sport last friday on Singapore winning South Korea and another from Associated Press on Singapore winning the Silver Medal.
Feng Tianwei, who, like the rest of the Singapore team, is an import from China, won both her singles matches to help them clinch a tense 3-2 victory.
The Singapore team features three former Chinese athletes who went overseas in search of better playing opportunities
Food for thoughts: Do we want to see this sort of statement every time we win a medal?
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Well, if you think about it, Singapore is made up of foreigners coming together on an island and deciding to stick together.
Besides, Li Jia wei has been a citizen since 1999 (i think), so she can be considered Singaporean. I did find it odd that the other 2 only got citizenship in 2007 and 2008, though.
Just my thoughts…
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 10:57 PM
[...] players are from China and some already labelled the Finals as China A vs China B. For example here where the author laments some old issues about not giving locals a chance blah blah [...]
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Here’s what I think: local-born, locally nurtured medal winning athletes won’t exist even with better sports facilities. The reason is simple: it is not in the psyche (or mentality) of Singaporean parents to consider sports as a possible and bright career path for their children. In short, a child who might be a sports talent may today live a mediocre life as nothing more than an auditor sweating into the late hours of the night because his / her parents object to her interest when young.
Thus, it is my opinion we need to kick start it somewhere to make the thought of professional athletes an appealing one to some parents. And the only way is for the nation to start winning medals with foreign imports.
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 1:02 AM
If we want to produce real Singapore-made athletes then we have to change our mindset. The top champions start from a very young age and work hard to bask in the limelight today.
I suggest a Sports Primary School to start with.
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 1:21 AM
I feel sad that you are upset even though they won. Their win is actually a huge stepping stone towards the local sporting scene.
1) They chose to fly our flag and not any others, which they could because they evidently are good enough to win medals.
2) Their win is a huge beacon which tells the whole world, SG is now accepting applicants and will pay good money.
3) You should know by now competition breeds improvement. Only by bringing the best to play with locals will our locals improve. We lack not only the system, but also the coaches, the quality players, the mentality, the experience. These can fortunately, all be bought and inculcated.
4) 50 yrs from now, no one will remember Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu, Feng Tianwei were foreign imports. All they will remember is that the 2008 silver medalists were Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu, Feng Tianwei representing Singapore.
Winning is a long and tedious process. Locals will never win anything if we stagnate. This win in my personal opinion is the start of a localised winning process.
So rejoice, taste the sweet victory of success, and remember, this silver medal is partly yours ‘cos you paid for it with your tax!!!
Dhopes last blog post..Less is More
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 1:56 AM
Yup, more taxes to pay for hiring more of these foreign ‘talents’ in sports. Many people around me dont feel proud at all. These sportmen will give up their Singapore citizenships and go back where they were, once they got what they want from Singapore. It’s the same issue of many foreigners coming to Singapore to work, gain citizenships so as to gain the ‘entry’ requirements of other better nations they wanted to go and later gave up Singapore citizenship and hop to USA/ Europe. I have met many of these people around.
Be sure that the winning of Silver medal of the table tennis game will be a good example that Singapore depends on foreigners for EVERYTHING! And we Pure Singaporeans are going to extinct sooner or later. So Singapreans create more babies? I doubt so. We should be worrying..
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 10:33 AM
I’m of the opinion that we should still be happy that the table-tennis team won in the name of our country, Singapore. This is a good start for the local sports scene. In yesterday’s Sunday Times article, Choo Wee Khiang, the immediate past president of Singapore Table Tennis Association who talent sported the various players, mentioned some comments which we should really think about.
He said that Singapore is not without local players with world-class potential.
Quote, “We have identified local-born players with world-class potential. But they are also very intelligent kids with good academic results. So the choice is clear – their parents want certificates. It’s our culture.”
This is the reality of Singapore sports scene. Even if we have Singapore kids with potential, the parents would not allow them to pursue a “career” in sports for “practical” reasons. Most parents in general don’t think there is a future in sports for their children. It is indeed a prevalent thinking here.
What option do we have then? We have to kick-start the local sports scene by importing foreign talent and winning the Olympic Silver and hopefully will change the minds of local parents and allow their children to pursue the sports path.
The current sad reality is, if we can’t change their mind of local-born talents to pursue a sports career, we can only depend on foreign talent for the time being. Like Xizor2000 and Dhope said, we have to kick start the local sports scene and the win is a start of future localised winning potential.
Don’t think the the government would need to import foreign talents when we finally can depend on our own talents.
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Aha, so we should blame the parents! (or, our society)
Then we should ask ourselves: why did we bring the foreign talents over? Just to win medals and go into the record? Or should that be the stepping stone so that in future, locally borned Singaporeans can bring glory to the nation as well?
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Hi Chillycraps,
I don’t think anyone was blaming the parents or the society. It is just the way it is. It is the reality of the current situation..
Hopefully, by bringing it foreign talents, it would be a stepping stone to building up the local sports scene where locally born Singaporeans will be more willing to take up the path of being a sports person.
cobaltpaladins last blog post..Win Oledy Lor
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 10:57 PM
WAke up. There are only 4 million sinkies. You will take another 100 years if you want to rely on Sinkies. Talent is born, not made. You are indeed a narrow minded person. Your this kind of post will divide the society big time.
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Tran: I think it’s very disrespectful to call the 4 million people here sinkies. So I guess you should wake up too.
on Aug 18th, 2008 at 11:40 PM
What I feel is that the Olympics is a special place where everyone just comes and have fun and challenge ourselves. It’s a place where we try our best to up the record, and a medal is secondary, not primary. Is it so important to win a medal? That we have to hire people to do it for us? I mean, I am disillusioned. What are the supposed benefits that the medal is bringing for us?
I guess I feel that I just don’t want them to take up the place if there are willing Singaporeans who want to try.
We should also stop saying that Singaporeans are not too into sports. This does not justify the need to be so caught up in the quest for medals and implement the foreign talent scheme.
In my humble opinion, foreign talents are those who come here because they want to come here, and they have something to contribute to us. They will be welcome by all of us because they are sincere in living here with us. I am not too sure how to react to the silver medal. I don’t feel any pride.
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Hi ignorantsoup,
I guess, like most of us, you would feel extreme pride when our fellow local-born Singapore sports person win a medal.
It is a long and tedious process to build up the sports scene here. The government import foreign talents, hope to kick-start the sports scene when they win and encourage more local talents to take up sports and realise their potential. When our local born talents finally win in future, it’ll instill national pride, sense of camaraderie and belonging in all of us.
Think 霍元甲 and the humiliating term 东亚病夫. It took a hero to restore the pride of the people. You can read the story here: http://baike.baidu.com/view/4436.htm
Did you also see the Chinese audience in the Olympic sports stadium cheering their fellow sports person? Did you see their passion, their enthusiasm?
Remember the kallang-roar when Singapore soccer team plays against Malaysian teams? Didn’t the roar excite you and race your pulse? It is the pride that we feel as Singaporean that we felt when we did the kallang-roar and wave.
Sports in some ways would unite a nation.
Sports are important in many levels. Through sports, it’ll instill discipline and mental strength. If more people are interested and take up sports, our health will also be better and less people need to worry about the escalating medical costs.
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 12:47 AM
Cobalt Paladin: I think you will disagree with me. But I think this whole Foreign Talent Scheme will only make the locals lose interest in the sport. Everyone will start to have this mentality that we can always buy a FT over to help us win. Who will want to spend time and effort to train when there is a high chance that the Singapore Sport Council will just go oversea to buy the top ranking athletes to help us win medal?
Yes, our local may not be good enough. And they will never be good enough if we never give them a chance. They will never be good enough if we keep sending FT oversea for major competition.
FT can bring us medal. But we have to keep buying more and more in order to keep getting medals for us. Is this what we want?
Wouldn’t it be better if we shake off this FT mentality and start building a sporting culture in the locals?
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 1:05 AM
DK, you are right. I disagree with your comment.
I wonder if you had read some of the earlier comments. Some local talents with world-class potential had been spotted before but their parents wanted them to pursue academic path and paper qualifications. This is because parents feel that there is no “future” in sports. As such, foreign talents had been brought in to kick-start the sports scene and now we have Singapore Sports School which I believe is moving in the right direction for the local sports scene. I don’t think our local talents are not good enough. It is just that they are not willing to devote their future to sports. We just need to change their mindset and our paperchase culture.
Building the Singapore Sports School is one of the steps to building a sporting culture here and nurturing our talents for the future.
cobaltpaladins last blog post..Win Oledy Lor
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 3:31 AM
Nothing really wrong with winning a silver medal by the FT team, but how nice it could have been if one of the team members is a Local Talent (LT) Singaporean, or….a LT Singaporean who had been sponsored by the state (hence tax payers) to be trained by real non-Singaporean FTs overseas (like, being trained in China since young).
on Aug 19th, 2008 at 7:38 PM
me and the friends don’t really care. what’s new? so long we pay, we will have, insist and expect to see results from all these money.
unfortunately, it’s going to be a tough longer road to getting a medal if we don’t import.
so we import foreign talent lor. just like the way we import everything else. water, organic tomatoes, wine…blah blah blah.
so we have a silver. paper credentials. good lor. do i feel pride and glory? no. this is the same logic as how Singapore Inc runs the country. not surprising.
imps last blog post..You Remember This Ramen Shop?
on Aug 20th, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Personally, I don’t think having FT is all that bad for us. It keeps the competition up and tough. HOWEVER, I wish we didn’t send an entire team of foreigners to the Olympics. Singapore needs to learn one thing called balance. We are sending a team of Singapore citizens, not Singaporeans. Are our people SO BAD that they can’t even stand side-by-side with FTs? Is Singapore trying to send out an international message that Singaporeans can do nothing but slog at work all day long? We look at the opening ceremony. Some countries have only a handful of participants and nary a single medal. But are they less proud? I don’t think so.
@cobaltpaladin: Although I’d agree that the SSC is a small step forward, but the most important thing is that the society (not necessarily the individual talents) is not ready to accept sports (or any other non-academic based) as a full-time career. To be really good at sports, you need to be seriously trained from a young age, and even if the kid is really interested in the game, most parents tend to treat it like an ECA, something extra for the kids to keep occupied and themselves to brag to other parents. As a career? Not very likely. Paper credentials will still take a precedence.
I don’t think it’s IMPOSSIBLE, just not in this generation. Maybe 2/3 generations down the road we might see otherwise. But of course, we might not be around to see that in person.
@imp: IMO, ‘water, organic tomatoes, wine’ isn’t really a great example of how we import everything. We can’t produce these things ourselves, with geographical & physical limitations. If we could, and we don’t, then those are valid examples. But we can’t. And that kinda changes things a bit don’t you think?
on Sep 9th, 2008 at 4:28 PM
“foreign talents” exist in every country. Gymnastic winner for US was from Russia. But we didn’t hear americans accusing the russian-born gold medal winner but we hear tones of complaints from singapreans.
Singaporeans are just jealous. Very very jealous.