Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: much “progress” made to support local athletes
June 22nd, 2010 | 
Author: Speaking during a dialogue with youths today, Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan boasted that Singapore has made much “progress” in developing and supporting local athletes.
The forum was attended by more than 140 secondary and tertiary students who bombarded Dr Vivian with questions ranging from foreign talents in sports to the future of sports in Singapore.
Dr Vivian did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claims that the PAP has been “supporting” local athletes. The general public perception is that the PAP is spending precious taxpayers’ monies to buy “trophies” with the help of foreigners who are “fast-tracked” to become Singapore citizens.
The recent victory by the Singapore women table-tennis team at the World Championship was greeted with cynicism and derision by Singaporeans who pointed out that the finals was a match between “China Team A and Team B.”
All the players in the Singapore team are born in China with one of them Feng Tianwei becoming a Singapore citizen only in 2008.
Many netizens slammed the victory as “hollow” with some expressing their disgust at the way the PAP brought humiliation to Singapore.
The public backlash prompted Dr Vivian to admit that a certain “X-factor”, which he likened to a sense of bonding between athlete and country, still needs to be there to make a difference between winning and losing, Channel News Asia reports.
It is highly unlikely that local athletes will receive much support from the PAP under the watch of the pro-foreigner Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who has constantly argued for Singapore to accept more immigrants.
Last year, his ministry unveiled a mega $10-million dollar Community Integration Fund to make the newcomers feel accepted, welcomed and happy in Singapore, much to the disdain of native Singaporeans who are struggling to make ends meet.
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Posted in Editorial
MYCS=MINISTRY OF youths,community(?) and SPORTS.
it seems that Vivian is more interested in SPORTS than either youth or more importantly,the COMMUNITY.
they might as well take out the community from MYCS have another ministry for COMMUNITY; i think the COMMUNITY at large deserves more attention than it has been given.
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IT is time for MCYS to spend the TAXPAYERS money on local singaporeans instead of foreign players who will GO BACK after they have earn alot of money
get theM from young age and train them and ensure they study well
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He can make all the claims and put up charts n even make a movie lah. For all we know and care – the incumbents” strangehold hold on the media is such – one is always left guessing as to which is true or untrue.
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Please tell us how many millions have already been given to the China B team.Definitely not worth it.It is only ping-pong.
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Don’t be dumb la TR.
Balakrishnan refers to YOUTH local atheletes, since he was speaking at a youth conference right?!?!
You have the Singapore Sports School. And if you didn’t realize tons of money is being put into organizing sports events at national levels at schools and even at community level. There’s also organizing the YOG. Besides SSS to nurture atheletes, there’s also People’s Association which provides monetary support some PA award thingy I read before.
Brush up on your knowledge first la.
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@Hayoo
where is the evidence??
You taking about this?
http://www.singaporesports.sg/News/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1049/STTA-establishes-a-youth-development-endowment-fund-for-youth-paddlers.aspx
“The yearly amount of $5,000 will continue to be deposited into their endowment fund during their stint in the national team. The youth paddlers have to serve in the National Team for a minimum of 3 years to receive the endowment fund.”
LOL,$5000 per year,about $400 a month.They have to serve in the National team for 3 years first.Keep the money better la
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Another Ministry of Community headed by another Million Dollar Salaried Minister ?
No thanks.
Less interference from the PAP in the Community will be far better for the lives of Singaporeans.
Do we need their kind of talent to mould everyone in the Community to follow the PAP music 24/7 ?
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This young minister earns millions from tax payers’ contribution each year and can afford to talk big and talk down on his fellow Singaporeans like everyone else is stupid! The reality of these “purchased” talents is that there is absolutely no affinity for Singapore once there is a better deal elsewhere. These professional athletes from China are practical mercenaries that saw an opportunity to get rich beyond China while they were being replaced by younger talents in their homeland. Once they attained a comfortable lifestyle with their millions and supporting salaries to better hone their skills, they will look elsewhere to satisfy their other self-actualization needs just like one of them going back to Beijing to represent Beijing/China in another competition. It is laughable that this minister, despite his superior education does not realize that he and Singapore has been taken for a ride… LOL
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atobe
Another Ministry of Community headed by another Million Dollar Salaried Minister ?
No thanks.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>who says it must be manned by PAP?
Aare they compassionately qualified?
we must think of an OBAMA-styled Cabinet and this proposed Ministry for the Community should be in-charge by a more com[assionate citizen-centred OPPOSITION MP?
how does that sound to you now?
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Dr Vivian did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claims that the PAP has been “supporting” local athletes simply because he had NONE! PAP cannot even cause the national broadcasting stations to televise live matches of the world cup. PAP would rather pay more money for foreign talents than to sponsor the live world cup matches for it’s citizens. What is there more to say? Supporting local athletes? My foot!
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He wants these foreigners to win medals because he will get a pat on the back by his bosses- more PAY!. I don’t see how he could benefit in any other way. He says that these people made sacrifices. I’d say Singaporeans are the sacrificial lambs. We are priced out of homes and many of the older workers cannot find jobs. What about our sacrifices, Minister?
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This cock Minister can say what he wants. Ask this idiot whether he spotted any foreign players in the Japanese, Korean or any other teams in the World Cup. He said in the ST that these foreign players made sacrifices donning Singapore colours. Up his ass for making this comment. These foreign players are dropped-outs, who came to this country to earn money for themselves.
Balakrishnan (Vivian) scolded Singaporeans and gave them red cards for not supporting foreign talents. Well, Mr Bala, it’s my choice that I have decided not to support foreign talent and the PAP. Are you going to force my hand to vote for the PAP? I may, if you will allow me to shaft the vote up your ass. Don’t insult Singaporeans, respect their views if they do not support your so-called foreign talents or, for that matter, the PAP.
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Sure? Kenyan runners are here grabing oppotunity winning cash prizes in almost every run races they take part. Look at the end marathon for the past few years. And local runners only get “pea-nuts” for cash prizes money!
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Support to local athletes?
I only know that many athletes have to fork out their own $ for expenses to compete in overseas events.
I only know that you’ll have to make some significant achievement BEFORE you can get some funding from SSC.
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Now our MCD Minister has a new label for Singaporeans who are critics of our foreign sports talent as being “small minded & very, very selfish”.
Likewise I would like to ask this stupid Minister, (who is infamous for the ‘hawker centre, foodcourt or restaurant’ question) whether the whole bunch of PAP Ministers including LKY and his PM son are just as “small minded & very, very selfish” to deny those staying in opposition wards of their respective rights to upgrading to their HDB blocks” at the same appropriate time as any other deserving HDB blocks instead of placed in a perpetual end of the queue.
Mininster, please think before you say anything wrong at the wrong moment, just as our equally clueless Prime Minister.
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I heard our govt has sent out not less than 20 scouts to S.A to scout for promising and talented young footballers in the world cup, with hope to buy them over after the final. The progress has been very promising with a number of foreign players already agreed to become our citizens after the world cup.
2014 here we come!!!
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Hey Vivian.
When are you going to buy …..er I mean persuade world class long distance runners from Africa to become S’pore citizen so that we can claim to be among the best in this field too.
Or throw money at any world class sports personality to come for that matter.
See if the world sporting community will respect S’pore as a sporting powerhouse or simply laugh at us?
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