Credit: Chua Chin Hon of ST

Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) president Lee Bee Wah told The Sunday Times yesterday that the services of team manager Antony Lee are not needed anymore.

The shock move, which some view as not only too rash but also harsh, is sure to put a dampener on the team’s scheduled celebrations when they arrive back in Singapore tomorrow. Mr Lee will return to the Singapore Sports Council, where he was seconded from.

Ms Lee, who took over as STTA president last month, her first foray into sports, said: ‘I have a new team and will have a new CEO and technical director. It is best that the manager is chosen by them. Antony is welcome to apply for the position when we ask for applications.’

But a clearly upset Mr Lee, 39, did not take kindly to the news.

‘I find it funny that after we achieved the greatest success in 48 years, I am no longer needed. It is baffling,’ he said, close to tears, yesterday.

The silver - won by the women’s team of Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu and Feng Tianwei - was Singapore’s first since 1960.

‘I’m surprised she did not tell me directly. That would be the courteous thing to do. I have to hear this from third parties. After doing so much for Singapore, I deserve a little respect,’ he said.

Ms Lee, an engineer who is also an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, had said last Thursday that Mr Lee and the team’s head coach Liu Guodong should be responsible for the ‘Gao Ning incident’ at the Games.

Gao, Singapore’s top men’s table tennis player ranked 12th in the world, had to play without a coach on courtside. He crashed 0-4 to unheralded Tan Ruiwu of Croatia in the first round.

More here.

**

Someone screwed up and Gao Ning didn’t win. That is not acceptable, seeing how much we spent on buying bringing Gao Ning over. Of course, “someone will have to be accountable for this”. Of course. Otherwise, how does PAP account for all that money down the drain? Of course, there has to be a fall guy and you can be sure it is not the one who said that “our ministers are only drawing S$1.2 million.”

Who dares to say it is an honest mistake - let’s move on?!

No, of course not.

Accountability

As an MP and as the newly elected president of STTA, did she handle this matter well?

The lack of social grace and the PR gaffe is so appalling that Project 0812 chairman Ng Ser Miang said he was ‘shocked at the timing as well as the manner in which this decision had been made‘.

1. She didn’t even know how many accredited coaches were brought to the Olympics. It was 4 and she claimed there were 5. This is unacceptable. Someone has been sleeping on her job. Who then “have to be accountable for this?”
2. The Olympics Games are not over yet and to make such a huge PR gaffe in the face of the world is unacceptable. We have set ourselves up as a laughing stock. Who then “have to be accountable for this?”
3. Why the choice for such an unfortunate timing? Can’t it wait till the team is back and for a decision to be made after proper and fair investigations? I can’t help but feel that it is a play for the eye of international media attention. Well, not all publicity is good publicity. Who then “have to be accountable for this?”
4. Gao Ning is a Olympic competitor and one of the top Table Tennis Men’s players. Does a player of such calibre need hand holding from a coach? Does he need to be babysit by a coach to win? Is it crucial? Should he himself not bear some responsibility and “accountability” for his own poor performance?
   
5. Sportsmanship - a basic trait that should be proudly worn on the sleeve of every STTA official and member, is being mocked and trampled upon. The president herself made a mockery of the spirit of sportsmanship. Who then “have to be accountable for this?”
6. The manager was not extended the basic courtesy of being informed of such a grave decision. He had to know from third party sources. Is this the best that a MP and president and committee member on various committees could do in a matter of international impact and exposure? Where is the social grace?
7. Last but not least, if there were not enough accredited coaches sent to the Olympics - such a huge event in the eyes of the government, that we have to spend millions to buy a medal - it is poor planning at its epitome. Shouldn’t it then be the responsibility of the president herself to ensure such a slip should not have happened? Who then “have to be accountable for this?”

Mr Ng said, ‘I’m quite puzzled as to how a decision like that can be made by the STTA president, who has been in office for just over a month.’

Well, I am sure the whole of Singapore is equally puzzled, if not disturbed. 过河拆桥 - is this in the spirit of Singapore?

Just a few days ago, our PM urged us to be more gracious as a nation and to improve on our social graces. It seems that his directive might have missed Ms Lee.

**

Additional reading:

Andrew touches on courtesy and professionalism.

Yaw Shin Leong (WP) recommends STTA to review the future of its current president

A few days ago, people were positively outraged that this Foreign Talent (and you can imagine them saying it in a very contemptuous and derisive tone) dragged the National flag on the floor during the opening ceremony, and now people are positively proud that she is one of us, she won a silver medal for us! Excuse moi while I go to that corner and roll my eyes silly.

*Goes to corner and rolls eyes silly* *Comes back prim and proper again*

Where is our pride and dignity, that we forsake it so readily for a bit of gain?

The BBC pens its article. starting off with

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.

You feel proud? You feel that Singapore has won a Silver medal?

I don’t. And I am not the only one it seems.

And this doesn’t sit well with me too.

Their table tennis coach Liu Guodong said: “I feel very honoured. I’ve been in Singapore for just over two years and can help it get an Olympic medal, at least a silver, for the first time in 48 years.”

好大的傲气啊！

I am going to be scathing here and say - that you are only here in Singapore because you know you cannot make it in China.

And it shames me greatly to say that.

And since we are into such capitalism and buying of National pride, why go for the second best? They should have bought Wang Nan and Zhang Yining over! Then, we would have won our first gold metal in 48 years, or ever.

**

I have nothing against people choosing to immigrate to this country. I shake my head at the whole Foreign Talent nationwide propaganda because I think most of them are a big joke, including the now very famous Mr Amit Nagpal. I used to think that Foreign Talent belong in the category of private bankers who specialize in certain niches, highly specialized industry experts and so forth. Apparently our government disagrees. These days, even a foreigner with average qualification and professional experience is considered as a “Foreign Talent”. Thankfully I don’t need to write an entire diatribe to express how appalled I am and how ridiculous this whole ruckus is. Endoh has done it very nicely.

With that kind of direction from the government, I wonder how much stronghold the citizens have in this landscape of rapidly increasing foreign talent. There are many of these foreign talent in the estate I live in now. They are rude, aggressive and have no common sense of living in Singapore. I wonder if they can truly assimilate in the lifestyle and culture of Singapore, or are we merely a stepping stone for them to move on to US or Canada?

As for the Foreign Talent playing in the Singapore team, I do not blame them for coming here for the money. Anyone would. I blame the government for yet again, choosing the short term solution route. You may say that with the Sports School changes everything. We are now nurturing our own, encouraging our young - no expenses spared. Really??

Yet another foreign talent.

And you think she is one of us? That she thinks she is one of us?

In January 2008, Tao became embroiled in controversy after the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) introduced a 15% levy on the cash awards given to swimmers, with about 6% set aside for youth development. As part of the government’s Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP), she received S$23,750 for winning three individual titles and one team gold at the 2007 SEA Games.

She was therefore “taxed” S$3,562.50, with S$1,425 going to youth development. Unhappy with this, Tao said: “If they [the SSA] want to cultivate youth, they should find their own money, not pay using our awards. It’s through our hard work that we got the money. So, I don’t see the point that we should give the money to the youths.” She also said it had been her school and not the SSA which had borne the expense of her overseas training. The SSA said it was “very disappointed” with her comments, and pointed out that the association had spent “easily in excess of $20,000″ in sending her for competitions abroad such as the World Championships, Hong Kong Open and Japan International, and a stint at the Australian Institute of Sport. SSA Vice-President Oon Jin Gee told the press, “Even with the Sports School funding it, it’s our taxpayers’ dollars going into her development. It doesn’t matter which avenue it comes from, it’s still Singapore’s support for her.

And now they are using the taxpayers’ money to fund her million dollar makeover.

I am so sick of the level of stupidity of this government.

Can we entice Obama Barack and Hillary Clinton in as Foreign Talent to replace this lot of grossly overpaid and highly complacent peacocks?

Oh. I don’t think so. It slipped my mind that Mr Barack and Ms Clinton are in politics for totally different reasons than our local chosen ones. Silly me.

and there are parents. I thought I have seen the worst of child abuse cases in the form of neglect or violence but this … is appalling.

Why give birth to a child if you are not prepared to give him or her the best you can? And what if your “best” is hardly acceptable?

Would the child have been more “fortunate” if she was aborted from the beginning? Would this make a classic case for a pro choice argument?

The many grey shades in life. They sadden me.

Knowing how senile I am, I am starting a Friday weekly summary to sum up the events of the week - things that make me happy and not so happy.

Happys

1. Relaxation of mind and body
I’ve been swimming about twice a week - leisurely laps to relax the mind and body.

See under the bridge? The narrow “tunnel” reminds me of the first scene from the game Tomb Raider where Lara Croft has to fight a shark underwater to get onshore. Over imaginative mind alert!

It helps that our pool seldom gets very packed like the public pools - even during the weekends. Looking at the girls having fun always put a little smile on my face.

2. Praise and Appreciation

I have been working at my new office for three months now. They have confirmed me earlier and sponsored my studies fully, for this I am very thankful. Today, the office manager had a quarterly review with me to discuss my progress and goals. It pleases me to no end that a) yes, everyone likes me and think I am an asset to the company; b) The general consensus is that I am independent and capable and gets things done not only well, but also fast. This is music on the ears to every PA, and heck, any other person in another field too. Skills and competence are not doubt important, but EQ and people management are essential too. I am pleased that I have managed to strike a healthy balance.

The one little gripe I had was that I always finished my work too fast and would end up surfing or plurking. I would be getting the chance to get to work on company policies too and to draft them from scratch. This is good for my portfolio and also a good learning ground for my business. Oh, golly.

3. The children are golden as usual. Ger is learning ballet! You can pick your jaw up from the ground now. Wait till I post the picture of her in tutu. THAT would be a scream.

And no, I didn’t even suggest for her to take it up - I have long given up on the notion of her being girly-like, and I even pooh poohed the idea when she brought up the suggestion. But she convinced me that yes, this time is for real, and the semester fee will not go down the drain - like the time it did when she refused to go after one lesson at the age of 5.

The term fees are no joke. But like I said before, if I spend on myself in the name of vanity, it is not fair that I stinge on the kids. I don’t care what others may say about me spoiling them but I will let them learn and experience new things that they show interest in - to the best of my ability.

4. Baking

After the first cheesecake where I tried the ready made crust, I was not pleased with the taste of the crust. I made a second one yesterday, using crushed oreos and butter as the base, and tweaked the cheese filling a little. It was good.

I met Cakie for lunch and I passed some to her. She is going to UK to further her studies and I won’t get to see her for some time when she leaves in September. I like her as she has no pretensions about her and is totally sensible, down to earth and not to mention, a very clever girl . I guess I secretly hope that the girls will grow up to be someone like her. Am so glad she liked it!

5. Independence

As always, I am happy and proud that I am independent. I can roar out loud that I am an independent woman who earn her own keeps, spend her own money and am empowered with the knowledge that I am stand on my own two feet without depending on a man.

I am also proud that everywhere I go, with every job that I take on, I perform well and my bosses like me (even until after I leave, they will still help me if I ask). I have a strong resume and reputation. I am proud that a executive search firm headhunted me for this position. I am proud I can do a job well.

6. Plurk - talking to friends after finishing work so quickly

7. Nadnut plugging me!! Go take part in her contest and win a bag sponsored by my shop

Not so Happys

1. Technicalshits

My boss is a very IT and tech saavy person. He can sprout stuff like VPN client and bluewave technology to me - stuff of which I understand as much as I speak Parseltongue. I also dislike tech and IT stuff immensely - for that I am grateful that I have Big, my Minister of all Scary Tech and IT things, to assist me. But it is no joke when your boss is mighty good at it and expects you to understand the Parseltongue he is speaking and assist him in further Parseltongue. This is a constant struggle and an area that my star doesn’t shine quite so bright. Sigh.

2. Shoulder pain

My right shoulder seems to be locking up more often and it is giving me chronic pain throughout the day. I am not sure if it is the typing posture. On the infrastructure end, my office chair is a $2,000 Herman Miller model and I cannot gripe much about that. I am quite sure it’s the pain that makes me a bitch at times. You all know I am peach and roses.

3. Toxic rubbish

It has come to my ears that she has started insulting my family now. There are people who have decided to take sides without listening to both sides of the story. That’s fine with me. You can’t win them all and my heart and conscience is clear. I object though if your purpose of reading my blog comes with malicious intents.

Sidenote: to the people who came and tell me about her antics - I appreciate it but honestly I want nothing to do with this person and even though she clearly does not understand that, I would prefer not to know about the toxic things she is so free to write about. The only worse thing than a vindictive person is a stupid and vindictive person. Clearly time that is supposed to be spent on being a stay home mum is squandered on shopping and writing garbage. I appreciate your care and concern but really, it angers me that there is scum that I have wasted time and genuine friendship on.

As for those people who come here with malicious intentions of carrying tales and fueling discord, it is on your karma. I have no words for you, except, watch it. What goes around comes around.

I wasted some twenty minutes of my life yesterday. I had made the wrong decision of dropping by a toxic “friend’s” blog, which I had not done so for the longest time, reason being that the said blog is mostly updated with constant meaningless whining and negativity. There is a certain limit to the amount of negative energy one can stomach.

To my surprise, her recent few posts are positive to say the least.  But keeping in line with her character, the “positivity” is meant to put others down.

By insisting that no others are as fortunate as you are, and by insisting that others don’t get more love than you have, you not only look sad and desperate for validation - the whole diatribe reeks of narrow mindedness and low self esteem.

In wanting to insult one particular person, you ended insulting everyone you know. What kind of toxic person are you?

One can be very fortunate. One can be very loved. Is there a need to declare that NO ONE is as fortunate as you are and NO ONE is as loved as you are? Stating one’s happiness on the childish insistence of absence in others - ugly and toxic. Says a lot about you as a person.

I pondered for a while on dedicating a whole blog post to point-by-point address the petty accusations thrown forth but in doing so, I would stoop to that kind of low level that I despise so much. The whole post is crass, vulgar and low class - and says pretty much about the writer herself. In fact, there are a few posts dedicated to such venom. And I shall leave it to the readers to see and judge for themselves.

In being ridiculously accused of being envious, I don’t like to be envious or jealous of others, as you have opt confessed to be. I will work towards what I want, unlike the meaningless habit of whining about it. I have the least reason to be envious of you. If the truth be known and at the risk of sounding mean, I have always felt sorry, if not pity, for you. For all your professions of being high class and “atas”, you don’t have what it takes and you won’t work for it. What gives? The result is constant whining and more whining.

For all your professions of being so loved and all, what we all see is still more constant whining and “emo” nonsense and imposing on a hospitalized patient in her room till 5 am in the morning - refusing to let your sick friend rest. Not everything is about you and you still have not learned that.

In everything that I have done for you, you have felt neither appreciation or gratitude. Not that I need these but to be “rewarded” with such venomous ingratitude is not something I would have expected. There are so many other things that you have been toxic about but since we have come to this stage, I see no need to address those issues anymore. You know what you did and I hope you can live with it.

Your problem is that you cannot accept other’s happiness and moving upwards in life. You can’t embrace a friend doing better than you are. Otherwise you will not feel the need to trample so desperately and proclaim yourself top dog. I don’t feel anger. I only feel sadness.

The tone of this post is not positioned in the manner of the “damsel in distress, I am so piteous” angle and neither is it positioned in the aggressive, vulgar and crass manner you are so fond of.

I am matter of factly and very calmly telling you that you are officially out of my life. I will not be dropping by your blog anymore, the msn and gchat have been duly deactivated, I will no longer feel angry or sorry for you and I hope to move forward in my life, just as I hope you will move forward in yours. I feel no malice or grudge towards you in doing so, just that we are two very different people and I no longer wish to keep up appearances.

Perhaps Posh had unknowingly hit the nail on the head when she plurked this earlier on:

“you could have all the love in the world and yet you feel empty inside.”

I am glad that I don’t need to have all the love in the world and I feel very happy and contented with what I have.

The only thing that I am sorry about this whole ugly saga is that I don’t want our mutual friends to feel awkwardness. This is not primary school where I don’t friend her you also cannot friend her kinda nonsense. My friendship with you and your friendship with her are mutually exclusive matters.

Moreover I don’t hate her. I don’t feel anything towards her. I don’t know which is sadder though.

That’s a nice poof of smoke! A good healthy dose of toxic second hand smoke for your child!

Look at how intently the kid is, looking at the mother smoking merrily away.

Starting young, thanks to mama.

I hate it when parents smoke in front or near their children. I hate it even more when mothers do it ala Britney, or worse, smoke when they are pregnant (some “warped” idea that a mother is the caregiver or nurturer and therefore should know better)

My dad was a smoker too, but he will go out of the house or go to the balcony, close the sliding door and smoke. I can’t even imagine my MUM smoking.

I find it strange when people believe that they are being good parents  - spend a bomb on tuition or whatnots BUT treat their kids to second hand smoke.

Seriously, cut the crap about stopping being too hard, withdrawal symptoms (do they last forever?), this ah that ah.  All crap.

There are some things I have zilch tolerance for and one of them would be crappy excuses for crappy things.

If you want to do something, you will find the ways and means to do it. My uncle smoked for thirty freaking years and was the most hardcore smoker I ever knew - he smoked Camel cigarettes with no filter, ok. Guess what? He quit last year.

Just to share - I was smoking for five years - at least one to two big packs a day. When I found out I was preggers with Ger, I stopped smoking pronto cold turkey. No lesser sticks per day, no nicotine patch, no acupuncture lalala, nothing. Just came out from gynae, threw away the cigarette box (still had 17 sticks! I remember!) and that’s it.

Of course it’s tough. I would be lying if I said it was a breeze. Headaches, crankiness, tempers, running nose, cough, sore throats as my body purged the toxins accumulated over five years.

Yeah it’s tough. So?

**

As for Britney, I think she is damn messed up and would be better cleaning up her act. AND PLEASE stop interviews on how great a mother she thinks she is. I know I sound mean but it’s better for her kids (for now) that she lost custody to Federline.  It’s amazing how a mum like that can think she’s a “good mum“. Delusion is a dangerous thing.

I don’t dare to proclaim myself as a good mum, but I try my best and I definitely don’t and can’t pull fantastic stunts like that.

Via Diane in M4M

This time, it is a display of ugly prejudice and ostracism of Singaporean parents against a child. A CHILD! A bunch of ADULTS jeering at and insulting a CHILD.

Bravo. Just when I thought I have seen it all, these Singaporean kiasu parents have again proven me wrong.

What a Class A narrow minded pompous idiot.

Thank God there are still intelligent reasonable parents like Mr William Wong around:

I am embarrassed that there are parents like these amidst us. Deeply ashamed, even.

And I am bristling with indignation and anger that a child, A CHILD(!!), is subjected to such appalling abuse.

I have a draft about the $1500 lunch on Monday, obviously in limbo as I have no time to edit and post it.

I have no time to take pictures and blog about the various online shopping that arrived.

I have no time for any damn %^&*&#$%&()(*))_)$#%^&& these days.

Sometimes I can’t begin to articulate how disgusted I am by cattiness, envy or jealousy that I sense in some women. (Yes, women. The men probably go, good for you! And move on.)

For example, they read my post about the ring Big gave me, promptly skim past my joy, happiness and feelings of blessedness, take away everything that is beautiful about the post, and manifest it as ugliness. There are those who question Big about how much he paid for it, is it fake, is it cubic zirconia (oh how my palms itch!) etc. Would it make you feel better if he told you it was whatever you wish it to be?

And what’s the fascination with my or his salary? How so does it affect you how much moolah we are pulling in? He and I can afford our indulgences like my shopping, my walk in wardrobe, his gadgets, our new house, my jewellery, whatever, thank you very much. Whatever I blog about, it’s pretty much what I am comfortable with my general readers knowing. If it is not on my or his blog, please have the courtesy of not querying us about such intimate or personal details. If you are a close friend, you would have known without being such a nosyparker. If you are not, well, you are not.

And if your purpose of knowing is to live up with the Joneses and for the sake of comparison, here’s a few things to note.

We are hardly the Joneses, or the yardstick to measure up to. We are just simple folks with a few select indulgences and pleasures in life. There is no need to match us/ me in everything we do. It freaks me out a little ala Single White Female style.

Why the need to compare or to live beyond your means? If you can afford a certain lifestyle, you can. If you can’t, you can’t. I am just being very pragmatic about these things. Why ask about things that are out of reach and make yourself miserable? And if you are living a lifestyle that you can’t afford, struggling to make ends meet every month, well it’s your choice or no one else’s. And if you are living a lifestyle you can well afford, we are not the kind of folks you should be comparing to.

Some might call it human nature for humans to be envious/ jealous or covetious, I will beg to differ. I don’t bother to be envious or jealous about others’ possession. Simply because if I want something, I work towards it. What the hell is there to be envious/ jealous of? And pardon me if I sound harsh but you are the type to be envious or jealous just because I seemingly shop all the time (I DON’T), seemingly have good things in life all the time (there is something called hard work), you will be forever the envious and jealous one pining after others’ lives and achievements because you are simply too busy indulging in negative time wasting emotions, instead of working your way there.

And then there are those who simply cannot stomach the idea of others being headhunted or getting a better package. If you had felt catty or jealous about anyone reaching a certain milestone in life, you are a loser. That’s right. I am of the belief that people who are jealous of other people’s achievements and waste time continuing being so are losers. But if you had felt spurred on or encouraged by what the person had achieved, then KUDOS and more power to you.

And a bit of common sense here. If it pains you/ embitters you/ fills you with so much ugliness when you read my blog, which is my shrine of happy memories, please stop reading my blog. It makes me hold my hand when I want to blog sometimes, and this kind of nonsense pisses me off.

Really.

I don’t need people like that to feed off my blog and make everything about it that is beautiful, ugly.

So, I reiterate. This is a blog that contains my happy memories, where I make good of things in my life, make lemonade out of lemons that life deals me. In short, it is a HAPPY place. If you find that this blog makes you 1. envious 2. jealous 3. angry (?!) 4. sad (?!!) 5. any other negative emotion, I don’t need to tell you again..