Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Ought To Be Shot

“synthetic (imported) is higher than the natural (home grown)”
When World Champion Lewis Hamilton complained that the Singapore Grand Prix track was excessively bumpy, they moved heaven and earth make it right. And when Hamilton said the modification to reduce the harsh kerbs at the chicane at turn 10 of the street circuit made it even more dangerous, calling the complex "the worst corner in F1", officials quickly replaced it with a left turn, faster than you can say "ang moh tua kee".

So when Brazil coach Dunga threatened to prevent the likes of millionaire superstar Neymar from injuring himself on the patchy and sandy field of the $1 billion National Stadium, the finger pointing started in earnest. "The field here is not very good. Most of it is sand and not grass. There is more chance of getting injured on this field."

The $860,000 Desso Grassmaster system utilised by the pitch combines artificial fibres and natural grass, but Dunga observed that the “synthetic is higher than the natural”. The criticism was not new, our national football team had bitched about the pitch too, but who listens to them?

Surprisingly, in a rare act of nobility, Sports Hub Private Limited (SHPL) chief operating officer Oon Jin Teik took the self administered bullet, "With regard to the state of the pitch, yes we ought to be shot." Sport Singapore (SportSG) has blamed the sorry state of the playing field on a packed events calendar. In defence, Oon insisted local artiste Stephanie Sun's concert deserved to be the first to use it, and the Chinese Orchestral was more about community than commercial interests, rubbishing accusations of profits over sports. He should have stopped there. Instead, his candor ran over, confessing that they hosted the National Schools C Division rugby match even though it would damage the field:"... I would rather do that than damage the hearts of the 13- and 14-year-olds, who will be the users of our Sports Hub for a long time to come."

The speed of the remedial action is yet to be determined, but they better move fast, as the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup Group B matches are due to start in November. At least faster than the law is catching up with the synthetic tour guide from China. It must be coincident, the Yang Yin affair - specifically why an option to inform others when applying for an LPA was removed from the form last month - and now the Sports Hub flare up, has something to do with the general who is suspiciously quiet. Not the one who condemned heckling of special needs children as "Vile. Total and absolute disgrace." The other one.

11 comments:

  1. Before we shoot anybody we have to find out what went wrong, don't we? If we Google Desso Grandmaster you will find that to install the pitch an installation team which includes a local grass expert. The variety of grass must be selected in consultation with this expert. The density of the artificial fibres is determined and the maximum height of these fibres is 2cm. above the ground surface, which makes Dunga's comment important to note. I suspect that the installation process might have been seriously flawed so that the installation of the artificial lighting system may be of little help in correcting the flaws. If so, who do we shoot?

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    1. Someone must stand up and own the screw-up job. Mind you they are paid millions.

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  2. Shoot the general lah, not the "heckling" one or Kee Chiu although he was once the Minister in charge of sports under then MCYS; the other "I'm sorry" one. LOL. It's all about money. We are not called Singapore Inc. for nothing. Even the still at large "Come on, money, I love you" PRC tourist guide knows as much.
    “You’ve sold out, haven’t you? You’re more about money, moving in a direction I don’t understand. Honestly, I miss the old you,” said Singapore footballer Baihakki Khaizan.

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  3. That is the problem with Singapore Inc. - always going for number one in this and that, the first in the world and all that, never mind the cost to taxpayers.

    I was aghast when the NE Line opted for driver-less trains. Even if we have full employment, how many train drivers can we save? But more importantly, can a driver-less train deal with those "one unders"? - whether unfortunate accidents or suicides by jumping onto the tracks.

    Now, we have this grossly over-budget high-tech white elephant that does not even deliver a simple working football pitch. Compare to the original National Stadium with a fraction of the cost and a perfectly working cow-grass pitch.

    Yes, go for the best money can buy, yet does not deliver what is promise. Just like paying for the best politicians money can buy.

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    1. Did we get the Best politicians our Best money could buy ? I fear we had been had for too long .

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  4. WTF, so grand & concerned about damaging the hearst of 13 or 14 years teens meh?

    Isn't the Sports Hub supposed to run like a profit-driven company ? Selling exclusive naming rights to OCBC, monopoly over telecommunication facilities, you name it, it is all about making money, isn't it ? Just exactly like the whole of Singapore Inc ?

    We already have plenty of sunlight, yet millions needed to spend money to manufacture artificial sunlight just for the grass to grow ?

    Are we nuts or what ?

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    Replies
    1. you are so right. what's wrong with the people? artificial sunlight??

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  5. Make money from sponsors... whats wrong collecting more money?

    Nothing is funded by big daddy government... the money is paid to people who instruct others to make more money.
    If you fail, you deal with it yourself... unless you are a train & bus operator, shipping line, microchip producer... you get bailed out.

    Each scholar is assessed on the ability to make money.. the method is entirely at their discretion.. create REIT, create subsidiaries, create recurring rental income... hallmarks of the successful scholar... and bookmarked for higher office.

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  6. ""With regard to the state of the pitch, yes we ought to be shot."

    When local complains, PAP clowns and cronies refuse to admit their mistakes, and even insult and ignore those who complain about those genuine issues, but when the ang moh and influential foreigners complain, suddenly those bastards as usual, admit mistakes , to pacify those wealthy foreigners, to wayang how they listen and fix the issues. That show how much PAP respect the people of citizens, and treat them like daft and ignorant people.

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  7. Don't know how to grow grass properly.
    don't know how to withdraw a protest permit properly.
    What are Yew good for?
    Yew are good for nothing.

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  8. No doubt no expenses will be spared to 'fix' the problem, and why not with the Captive Payer's Fund to the rescue.

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