YOG food and safety scandals: Parents should pull their children out of YOG till probe is complete
August 19th, 2010 | 
Author: OPINION
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is not only becoming the biggest “wayang” in the history of the Olympic Games, but Singapore’s biggest “mobilization” exercise as well, with tens of thousands of students and full-time NS men being “called up” to provide FREE labor for the event.
Singapore students are FORCED literally at gun-point by their teachers and schools to support the YOG or risk doing corrective work order or not given their testimonials at the end of the year.
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There are reports of primary school students being compelled by their schools to pay a $5 deposit upfront to ensure that they turn up for YOG events without even seeking the consent of their parents.
If the PAP regime wants our children to support its so-called “once in a life-time premier international sporting event”, it should at least take care of them during their volunteer stint.
Unfortunately, our children whom we raise up painstakingly are being treated like SLAVES. Many are forced to work for long hours without rest with some returning homes past midnight everyday on top of their hectic schedules in schools.
They are also given food not fit for human consumption and are expected to stand for long hours under the sun or in the rain to generate fake support for the YOG.
Our students are already stressed up in their school work. Is there really a need to heap more pressure onto them? What have they done to deserve such inhumane treatment from the Singapore YOG Organizing Committee (SYOGOC) and the PAP regime which have shown scant regard for their welfare?
The recent food and safety scandals engulfing the YOG and way they are being handled is clear proof that our children will not be taken care of by SYOGOC and are no more but mere “digits” in its “labor” force.
The mass food poisoning outbreak in which 26 YOG volunteers came down with diarrhoea and abdominal pain occurred last Sunday on 15 August 2010, but SYOGOC chose to keep the matter under wraps till three days later after the news was leaked on the internet instead of informing the other YOG volunteers immediately.
There was not a single word of apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Mr Teo Ser Luck or Mr Ng Ser Miang. None of them even bother to pay a visit to the victims and they still carry on promoting the YOG in the media as if nothing has happened.
At the very least, the other volunteers should be informed of the incident and given the option of bringing home-cooked food to the YOG venues which for some strange reasons, they are not allowed to do so.
It is as if that the health of our children are less important than the good name of the YOG and their lives are dispensable. What’s so great about the YOG that our poor children have to “burn” their Sundays to volunteer their services only to be fed “dirty” or “poisoned” food?
Two days ago, a roof canvas at a YOG venue *SCAPE collapsed under a heavy downpour. Fortunately, there were no volunteers present at the scene. Imagine if your child is there and the canvas with its supporting metal poles were to collapse upon him or her, it would be an absolute disaster.
Roof canvas have been used in Singapore for several years, especially in the HDB heartlands when they are used to provide temporary shelter for Singaporeans listening to “getais” for the annual Hungry Ghost festival. Such an accident is almost never heard of.
On the same day, a temporary platform erected at Toa Payoh stadium collapsed, injuring a CCTV photographer from China in the process. What if your child is standing beneath the platform at that time of the accident?
Till today, SYOGOC has blatantly refused to give the public a proper explanation to the food and safety problems plaguing the YOG and sought to downplay their significance to the extent of censoring the negative news in the press.
The PAP minister in charge of YOG Dr Vivian Balakrishnan claimed that problems will inevitably arise from “massive operations” like the YOG and the investigations into the food poisoning will take “some time.”
With due respect to Dr Vivian, his explanation is hardly a reassurance to anxious parents who are worrying daily about their children who are volunteering at the YOG. It is completely unacceptable for such juvenile lapses in safety to occur in a supposedly international competition. Have we ever heard of such atrocious screw-ups in past Olympic Games held on a much bigger scale than the YOG?
The NEA has conducted inspections at YOG kitchens before and during the Games and has found them to be “compliant with all the stringent guidelines that are set.” Then what is the cause of the food poisoning? Surely the bacteria cannot appear on the food from nowhere?
Since Dr Vivian needs more time to investigate the food poisoning outbreak which means that the cause is still lurking around somewhere, it is only fair and reasonable that parents pull their children out of the YOG till the investigations are completed and proper accounting is done to the public.
Any parent with a modicum of self-respect will pull the children out of the YOG immediately. It is not easy to raise a child in Singapore. Every single child is precious to us. Why should we risk their lives for something which is not even compulsory? What has the YOG got to do with our children? They should be given the option of not participating in the YOG and stay focused on their studies.
If the PAP regime wants our youth to partake in the YOG, then it should adhere strictly to the principles laid out under the Olympic Charter and treat them with some basic decency and respect. From what has transpired so far, it is pretty obvious that our children are being taken for granted by SYOGOC.
The YOG is no more but a “vanity fair” for the PAP regime to show off its “capability” to the world so to attract foreigners to generate more revenue for the state coffers, as admitted by Dr Vivian himself in an interview with BBC News.
Your children will not receive a medal or a letter of appreciation for volunteering at the YOG. Nobody will recognize their efforts and contributions and they will get blamed for all mistakes big and small. Even if the YOG succeeds which appears highly unlikely now, who do you think will get all the credit?
Is it worth it to risk your child’s health and well-being for the YOG? Think about it. You are a citizen of Singapore, not a slave of the PAP regime. You have every right to refuse your child to be involved in the YOG in anyway.
Boycott the YOG, pull your children out of it right now before it is too late. The choice is yours.
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights.
Foreign journalists, please stay tuned on our site and Facebook for the latest updates on the ground about the YOG. You can never get any authentic or accurate news from the Singapore media which is ranked a pathetic 133th in terms of press freedom by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders last year. All the papers in Singapore are owned by a single media company – Singapore Press Holdings whose Chairman is a former PAP minister Dr Tony Tan.
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Let me guess Vivian’s answer…
“The cause of food poisoning is unavoidable as bacteria happened to land on the food just before they consume it”
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It so sick to learn that parents in Sinkapore nowadays are so chicken shit and cowed by the PAPies to even protect their own children!
During my time, my parents wouldn’t even allow me to attend any off-school events with a proper letter from the school and there is always an opt OUT clause for parents to disagree.
CRUDE as it may sounds, if YOU are one of those chicken shit parents that dare not even protect the interest of YOUR OWN CHILDREN, remember to wear a condom the next time you decide to have a quicky with your wife.
Your children are better off without having to be born to YOU.
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I wonder when will the MIW garment stop manipulating the citizens for their own gain.
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Forecaster Extraordinarie II:
August 19, 2010 at 2:16 pm
aiyoh, maybe your parents are more discerning & sophisticated enough (have a way) in dealing with those higher authorities. do remember, a lot of people are still cowed (conditioned) to look at authorities & their higher masters y as though they are angels sent down from heaven to help lesser unworthy souls like themselves.
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I wrote to MOE direct when I see the indemnity form that school let kids sign for activities, they and the contract company conducting the outing basically have no responsibility at all.
next time you should read carefully before you sign, it is a death warrant as far as I’m concern.
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WE HAD MANY YEARS OF NDP CELEBRATIONS [W/OUT A SGD5.5 MILLION BUDGET FOR FOOD],
AND NEVER HAD ANY FOOD POISONING.
Quote -
” The PAP minister in charge of YOG Dr Vivian Balakrishnan claimed that problems will inevitably arise from “massive operations” like the YOG and the investigations into the food poisoning will take “some time.” ”
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YET ‘DOG FOOD’ N UNHYGIENIC FOOD RESULTING IN FOOD POISONING ARE SERVED.
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NDP involves more people than YOG, and no $5.5 million budget for food.
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@Charles:
August 19, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I wonder when will the MIW garment stop manipulating the citizens for their own gain.
When hell freezes over.
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@ wtf
Since they are gaining on money, fame and status so well. Do you think they will ever stop? The only way is for us to unite and stop them.
To the 66.6% that vote for them last election, my most sincere graceful middle finger to you!
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Extra nutrition strengthen vitamin for athlete – MAGGOTs.
FOREIGN ATHLETES WELCOME TO SINGAPORE YOG.
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It is unbecoming of Temasek Holdings of trying to earn maximum profits from its major stake with other government linked companies like Singapore Food Industries with dire consequences.
A reason for TH to get more profits is trying in vain to offset the billions of dollars lost in stupidly bailing out foreign and US banks during the subprime debacle a few years ago.
Singapore Food Industries expectedly being awarded a $5.5 million catering services contract by the YOG organising committee gave much low, lower & lowest bids to its subcontractor caterers to cover meals for up to 7,000 athletes, officials and volunteers.
Hence, these subcontractors with low, lower & lowest margin of profits also employed unhygenic foreign workers food handlers who are providing substandard food catering services especially to our Singapore volunteers resulting in food poisoning and maggots found in the food.
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VVB: “Problems will inevitably arise from “massive operations” like the YOG…”
Oh sure, dont tell us, tell it to your 3rd world food caterers and organisers and lets see what u will have for YOG. Oh yeah, oh yeah ,oh yeah, beat up the drums of excitement for YOG with more food poisonings, doggie food, more mishaps and more foul-ups.
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com’on this is probably start of compulsory slavery, so must start fm pri sch, only then will our children grow up to accept slavery is legal la
in the first place why these parents allow their children to become free slave, they shd hv bring up all these so called voluntary work before they start but as usual that’s how most behave, they wait till there is no road back then they try finding their way back
Vote Wisely for a better Tomorrow and “More Good Ears” or no Tomorrow
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Seems that i have to change my pen name to PAP Patriot!
Now what kind of shitty communist propaganda is this? I am a relief teacher and boy the feedback from students is really intense! Lets start with the torch relay. A week before the torch arrives by the school, students, not teachers were all buzzing about the event. No coercion was needed, I think every one was at most enthusiastic and at least neutral about the event.
There was also talk of forced spectatorship thrust upon the students. Come on people. I heard students were genuinely disappointed for not chosen to see the games.
And when will the Review stop ranting about Dog Food? seriously its getting damn old.
Temasek Reviewers if you have something to say I suggest you get your facts right (with solid oral, pictorial and statistical evidences), tidy them up and contact Time, Newsweek or Reuters. The Americans love juicy stories of child labour.
On the otherhand if you have no balls I suggest you guys quit whining and shut up.
I don’t like the PAP but dang I love my country!
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