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Associated Press, 13 August 2010 IOC president Jacques Rogge expects the Youth Olympics will overcome spiraling costs and the so-far subdued fan enthusiasm to evolve into one of the world's premier sporting events. The Youth Olympics, which open in Singapore on Saturday and run through Aug. 26, will feature about 3,600 competitors aged 14 to 18 from 204 countries competing in the same 26 sports on the current Summer Olympics program. "Very soon, the Youth Olympic Games will become as much an indispensable fixture of the Olympic calendar as its grown-up brothers," Rogge wrote in the days leading up to the inaugural event. Cost estimates for the event have skyrocketed. The IOC initially projected in 2007 the Youth Games would cost $30 million to stage. By the time Singapore won its bid in 2008, the budget was up to $76 million. The government said in July it expects a final bill of $287 million. Read rest of article here.  Read More →

While Singapore YOG volunteers are being fed "DOG" food for working long hours sometimes under the hot sun, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is basking in the full "glory" of the YOG. He was conferred the "Gold Olympic Order" by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday for his "outstanding merit in the cause of world sport and faithfulness to the Olympic ideal." 'Thanks to the support and initiative of Prime Minister Lee, Singapore has been able to prepare a Youth Olympic Games that will leave a great legacy for his country, the Olympic movement and, most importantly, the youth of the world," IOC President Jacques Rogge told PM Lee. PM Lee has initially said in 2007 that Singapore might not be "prepared" to host the YOG after all. It is not known what made him changed his mind in the end. Despite the extensive media coverage on the YOG, the response from Singaporeans has been most disappointing so far with 88 percent saying that they are not interested in the YOG at all in a recent online poll conducted by Channel News Asia. Thanks to massive "astroturfing" efforts by various government agencies such as MOE to generate fake support for the YOG, a grand "wayang" was put up which even manage to pull a wool over the eyes of PM Lee himself. "It has been a challenge and great satisfaction for us to organise this first Games. I think it has struck a chord with our people," PM Lee was quoted as saying in the Straits Times. Interest in the YOG was further dampened by recent revelation that Singapore volunteers are being given substandard food not fit for human consumption while the foreign athletes and officials are given three daily buffet meals, sparking a massive furore among Singaporeans with many calling for a boycott of the YOG. YOG has indeed struck a "chord" with PAP leaders so far with all of them putting up a brave front pretending that YOG is a "success" when most Singaporeans don't seem to care a damn about it.     EDITORS’ NOTE: Has your life been turned upside down by the YOG? Please share your views with us. We assure you that your identity will be kept strictly CONFIDENTIAL. We will be your UNCENSORED VOICE. We will publish your letter in FULL with ZERO editing, moderating or censoring. You do not have to suffer in silence! You have the RIGHT to speak up as a citizen of this country. Remember: you are a CITIZEN of Singapore, not a SLAVE of the PAP regime. Our mailbox has been swarmed by letters from YOG volunteers for the last few days. Unless you specifically want us to publish your REAL NAME, we will use a pseudonym instead. Please understand that due to manpower constraints, we may not be able to publish your letters immediately and we will have to stagger them a few hours apart to ensure that they get maximum exposure. Please keep your feedback coming! Singapore for SINGAPOREANS! Your interests always come FIRST.     Related articles: >> Dr Vivian: YOG venues will not become "white elephants" >> Online pressure forced SFI to provide better food for YOG volunteers >> Civil Service Club offering free YOG tickets >> Journey of YOG flame costs Singaporeans $7 million dollars >> Corny YOG propaganda in Straits Times >> Tharman: YOG enthusiasm is real >> Polytechnic student: I don’t care about YOG >> JC students being “volunteered” for YOG >> YOG: What the HELL is that? >> PAP provides YOG athletes and officials three daily buffets >> YOG students being given “dog food” >> Singapore students forced to volunteer for YOG >> Poor ticket sales forced closure of YOG gallery section >> PM Lee calls on Singaporeans to support YOG >> Young Singaporeans hurl vulgarities at YOG >> Dr Vivian wants Singaporeans to celebrate YOG >> NTU students complain about YOG >> Dr Vivian: Sports is not about “petty politics” >> More than 300 Singaporeans joined “I hate YOG” Facebook >> CNA poll: 90 percent of Singaporeans “not interested” in YOG >> Slovak YOG Ambassador slams YOG venues of “school standard” only >> Two Facebook groups calling for boycott of YOG >> Free condoms for YOG officials and athletes >> Singapore helping to repair Jamaica’s stadium in return for YOG marketing >> Former stripper to choreograph opening ceremony of YOG >> Desperate PAP wants Singaporeans to get “passionate” about YOG >> PAP to Singaporeans: Give way to YOG vehicles or get fined $130 >> PM Lee wants Singaporeans to do their part for YOG >> Only six teams in YOG soccer tournament Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

OPINION During his National Day rally this year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spent almost half his speech on the issue of immigration, an indication that the topic is becoming a contentious one among Singaporeans which may become the Achilles' Heel of the PAP in the coming elections. PM Lee reassured Singaporeans that they will come first before the foreigners: ‎"I understand Singaporeans' concerns about taking in so many foreign workers and immigrants.....We will make clear that citizens come first. After all, we are doing this for the sake of Singaporeans." He also called on Singaporeans to welcome foreigners with an "open heart". Do you believe PM Lee? Will you heed his call to welcome the newcomers?    TR Policy Forum, 9 August 2010 Charles Teo: Sorry for my language but **** him, that's all I have to say. I have lost my trust in him and the others since the beginning of their craps.   Kevin Teo: We are not stupid, say one thing, do another.... I have lost trust and faith in our govt ! I would be most stupid to believe in our govt.   Adrian Cheng: Do not have any trust in him, ever since he announced to import 100,000 more foreign workers? Don't know what he really wants to do. can't predict, perhaps I am also 3rd class citizen?   Wilson Ho: Citizens come first of course! I believe that! Do not you all? I mean Citizens always come first @ the firing line! 1. Retrenchment 2. Pay Cut 3. CPF Cut     We citizens come FIRST on many of their agendas. For once LHL is telling the TRUTH!!!   Albert Lin:  I have nothing against the foreigners who come here, even morons like Sinhar. Afterall, we are all decendents of immigrants. What I have is against the government bringing in substandard foreigners on the pretext of "Foreign Talent" to REPL...ACE singaporeans, while bold-faced-lying to us that it's for our own good.     Rick Lee:   This line most classic "We will make clear that citizens come first. After all, we are doing this for the sake of Singaporeans."  Since when the Fxxk have we come 1st in the whole PAP reign??  1st to DO NS , 1st to get screwed over n over again... I love singapore, but in this National day, I urged those voters to Vote so we won't get screwed again for the next 5 years!!     Ong Teong Hoon: Bringing in foreigners in droves for our sake ? Tell that to the marines !Please stop 'UNDERSTANDING MY CONCERNS', you have even addressed them to the extent that I, a 3rd class citizen, didn't know it was a solution. Please stop doing anymore 'FOR MY SAKE', you've done more than enough to pave the way for future generations. As how you truly enjoy passing the 'FLAME', now is the time to really do so. I'm sure 'RETIREMENT' is out of the question, but you have contributed enough and gained enough in the process to do so.     Bhas Kunju:     Since almost everyone's gripes is on the need to 'serve' NS, maybe someone should make that an actual campaign issue? It's one of the sacred cows yes, but with the population at 60% locals (inclusive of PRs and New Citizens) it might be time to lose NS for good, for all. I for one honestly doubt the majority of PRs or new citizens will allow their children to do NS. But who knows, by then NS might have conveniently disappeared.         Shinigami:    Can ask PM to be a normal citizen for just one day anot huh? When I heard his message on news I was like WTF.... Not that I discriminate against FTs but I thinks we can do ALOT better without some of the so called 'FT"s who only know how to talk LOUDLY on the phone as though they own the place or STARE at us like we are the aliens here rather than them!       Muneer Mohammad:   Due to neccesity in order for us to remain competitive yes there is a certain amount of need for foreigners. However Not the influx that we are facing now. Another thing is if you wish to bring in foreigners then make sure our infrastructure can handle the added population. Not like what we are facing now with shortages of HDB flats and congested public transport and roads. I do not buy into the idea that since we are offspring of immigrants then we should welcome this foreigners. Our ancestors came here when the times were bad and built this nation to what is is now. Now that Singapore is an economic powerhouse, suddenly we have every Tom, Dick and Harry coming along and setting up shop here. What happens to the pioneers then? How would U feel if u n yr friends had 2 do a project and when its about to be completed your boss comes along and lets a few more guys join your project. Only after all the work is done. Then when the project is reviewed as a success who should the credit go to? Do you think those new guys deserve credit??   Read rest of discussion on TR Facebook here. It is more like buffetting their declining popularity with all these newly minted citizens who will vote for them ! You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time. But you can't fool all the people all the time !   Lew Zhi Yang:    Read More →