YOG: A Case Study of Singaporeans’ blind deference to “authority” and why they will continue to remain powerless against the PAP
September 4th, 2010 | 
Author: With the completion of the recent YOG, we have witnessed numerous reports on the ill-treatment of YOG volunteers. Amongst them, key highlights include the initial “dog food” incident [1] which has been somewhat improved to sub-standard fast food [2], or worsened to food poisoning [3] depending on your point of view. Not forgetting the inhumane working conditions of these volunteers [4], one cannot help but wonder if we are reading the plight of YOG volunteers or NS conscripts.
This apparent “enslavement” of the volunteers to the YOG and relevant authorities like MOE and their associated schools is a regrettable sight, but it is a prime example of how such behavior is but a symptom of Singaporeans’ blind deference to any form of authority, which has resulted in the current powerless state of Singaporeans against the ruling party, PAP.
While I read such reports with empathy for their plight, I cannot help but wonder why are these volunteers putting up with such ill-treatment? A quick dictionary search defines the term volunteer as “person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking.” The term “voluntarily” means “done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one’s own accord or by free choice”.
If YOG volunteers are indeed volunteers in the conventional sense, why hasn’t all the YOG volunteers done a mass boycott and simply refuse to show up for “work” in protest for their ill-treatment? These volunteers are not even being paid for their work, so why bother showing up in the first place? Simply refusing to show up for “work” would be the most logical and rational response from any person living in a free government, but unfortunately our local youths been so conditioned to defer to any form of authority that they now appear to lack any free will of their own.
I admit I am neither a staff nor student of any of the schools supporting the YOG games, and it is my hope that our youths are only playing their “part” as they are under duress from the high-handed coercion from the schools.
Based on unverified reports from around the net, it seems that many students are being forced to attend, lest they suffer the “punishment” which has so far allegedly included – corrective work order, detentions, withholding of testimonials, and a $5 deposit fee. However, how many youths (and parents for that matter) have even questioned whether or not does the school have the right or the authority to implement such punishments?
YOG is not a school event, so it does not fall under the jurisdiction of school rules. As a student or a parent I would question the school’s ability to issue corrective work order or detentions for “playing YOG truant”.
Where is it stated in existing publication of school rules that skipping YOG is a punishable offense? Even if there is such a rule, does the school have the legal right to punish students in such manner? If push comes to shove, will it be upheld in a court of law?
I am no lawyer, but common sense would dictate “NO”. There are limits on what the school can do to students, and that limit ends when events such as YOG are beyond their jurisdiction. If the various online reports are true, then it is only logical to conclude that the Ministry of Education along with its schools has crossed the line, regardless of how “compulsory” the event may be. As George Cham has pointed out in an earlier article [5], there are ways for volunteers to get out of YOG in a non-confrontational manner and I am left wondering how many youths actually heeded his advice.
Singaporeans should learn to rebel when the so-called authorities are stepping out of line, as is in this case of MOE and their schools over stepping their authority to force compliance and support for YOG. Students are in school to receive an education, not to be pawns or digits for the PAP “wayang” to the world.
The poll from CNA (which is ironically a government affiliated website) shows that close to 90% of Singaporeans could not care less about YOG. Let me be clear about this – YOG is a PAP event, it is not a Singaporean event. So, for those volunteers that stuck on to the end, perhaps you should be asking yourself “why am I wasting my time here”?
It is somewhat common wisdom that the younger generation of Singaporeans has no love for the PAP. Unfortunately, the recent YOG incident has led me to conclude that Singaporeans may be still a bunch of “all-talk-but-no-action” dissenters.
If the YOG fails because the youth volunteers had just decided to quit, our HDB flats upgrading will not be affected and Singapore’s economy will not collapse to dust. If youths of this country can’t even come together to initiate a mass boycott of YOG, what hope is there in ever voting PAP out of power?
Garrett Goh
[1] http://www.tremeritus.com/2010/08/11/yog-volunteers-complain-about-being-served-dog-food/
[5] http://www.tremeritus.com/2010/08/15/moe-teacher-how-students-can-stay-out-of-yog/
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singapore is a “CITY” because very soon, it’ll become such in malaysia.
the ringgit will be on par, and no wastage of funds and people’s money to compete, for the present gov has run out of “IDEAS” to propel the city to next level, reason why import of all prc’s and indian’s and pino’s, to counter the sum and numbers in kl and level the playing field because of out flow of chinese,indians there.
remember, you have been told the final outcome.
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Most Singaporeans already brain washed and to follow orders. Now they are selling their own children future to the gov.
Just No brain Singaporeans or just traitors
I prefer to hide behind the internet cos the gov is not playing a free game. Those that criticise others no guts just hide behind the internet are those papies daggy or ass licker, dont reply them they just want to track you down.
They will silent you when they can, dont get caught so early….Young Singaporeans betrayed by their parents need you. Use the following website to hide yourselve when u post comments.
http://www.shownoip.com
http://www.safeip.info
Lets voice up its our rights….
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“If youths of this country can’t even come together to initiate a mass boycott of YOG, what hope is there in ever voting PAP out of power?”
The author is right. The youths are totally brain-washed by the education system. Just two examples told to me by children recently.
Example 1 – In one of the social studies lesson, the students were asked what was the difference between the Pakistani newspapers reporting of the floods in Pakistan and the reporting by Straits Times? The answer was a shocker, according to the teacher, ST is the “ultimate source of truth” and the Pakistani newspapers are unreliable.
Example 2 – In an upper primary class, the children was shown a picture of PAP minister being ‘interviewed’ by the media. There were microphones from different media company. The teacher was telling the students how important the minister given the ‘large’ number of microphones from different media. One student stood up and commented that all the microphones spot logos from the govt-controlled media and no foreign media. The teacher meekly replied, never mind, at least there was variety.
Go figure if there is ever a chance for SIN to be freed from the dictatorial PAP.
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@stupid Sporeans
they do not rank singapore open media 14Xth just for nothing
PAP is Pay Attention and get Psycho-ed
by their message deliver from heaven
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“YOG is a PAP event, it is not a Singaporean event.”
My sentiments exactly.
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Ever tot that unhappy volunteers are a vocal minority?
Last election, a lot of unhappiness on net. But come voting, PAP wins 67% in all the seats contested. All seats where Opposition tot they had decent chance to win or score points.
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Come on ST may be unreliable, but Pakistani papers are reliable/ Who trying to con?
Example 1 – In one of the social studies lesson, the students were asked what was the difference between the Pakistani newspapers reporting of the floods in Pakistan and the reporting by Straits Times? The answer was a shocker, according to the teacher, ST is the “ultimate source of truth” and the Pakistani newspapers are unreliable.
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“YOG is a PAP event, it is not a Singaporean event.”
Indeed, that’s why they are the only non-athletes to get the glory & awards and nobody else.
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MOH had yet to give reply to Singaporean regarding mass food poisoning at YOG.
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in this year’s chestnuts production, we learn how insidious national education commenced at a very early stage erases the ability of the population to envision a reality other than the dream they currently live in.
it isn’t just the poor singaporean being surprised at how life is really like for most people outside their little island, but also how surprised you find them when you suggest that their life within this little island can potentially undergo unthinkable change.
how many countries do you have populations that are unable to imagine alternative thought and a chance to rectify erroneous governing through voting? yes, the usual suspects, burma, koryo …
how do we look like to the outside world, when we claim our primary language is English, we are Cosmopolitan, First World, we have Arrived, we have World Crass Tourist Attractions and yet our minds have been shoved into a tunnel so narrow and long that the end is totally out of sight?
how did we succeed in washing our brains so cleanly? how did they succeed?
and more amazingly, how did they build up a mechanism so coordinated and blindly loyal, that it can forget its original purpose of fighting communist guerillas in tropical jungles and take on their new god-like role of preserving Mastery of the Universe, all For Your Own Good?
i take my hat off to Him.
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Well, I invite the topic starter to be the first – because unfortunately, I do not have the resources to challenge the PAP in their home kangaroo court, in a country where the police are at their beck and call, and every citizen seems to support them anyway.
(Forget my CPF and taxes. Hopefully I’ll find another land that actually respects me, and that I’ve saved enough to go there… then the PAP can do whatever the hell they want, and I no longer will complain about them. This is the only sort of resolution they’ll accept that breaks your bond with them. All others will be annhilated, as we can see with JB, Chee Soon Duan and some luckless singaporeans who go BURN THE PAP.)
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Indeed!
Volunteerism should be on a want to basis and no on a have to basis. I led a group during YOG and I always stressed to them that if they are not treated reasonably, just walk out, as it is our right as volunteers who give our time and effort for free to demand for reasonable treatment.
A wise volunteer organization will try to treat its volunteers well to keep them from deserting.
Unfortunately for most students, YOG is probably just another job they have to undertake to complete their CIP hours, so most just take it as it is since it has at least a few perks as compared to say, holding a tin at the MRT station for an organization they barely know. (Not that I’m demeaning flag days in any way)
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