SingCitizen » table tennis

Difficult getting the right women MPs into Parliament

singcitizen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:35:11 +0000

Minister Lim Hwee Hua’s remark that ‘the comparatively low level of representation in higher political and corporate office does not belie the fact that women can attain such office on merit[1]‘ set me thinking about my perception of women MPs in Singapore. I admit not knowing any woman MP personally so my perception of women MPs here is based primarily on what I read about them in the local papers and on the Internet. I gather that there are many like me who also form their perceptions similarly.

The term ‘merit’ suggests some praiseworthy quality. The recent table-tennis episode – in which a woman MP first publicly showed her anger at a coach’s handling of his charges and then in a later incident publicly questioned his suitability for the Best Coach award only to lie low when the aggrieved ex-coach returned to Singapore to seek clarification of her remarks — left me wondering whether in spite of the Government’s efforts in trying so hard to attract women MPs into service, it is still experiencing difficulties in attracting good candidates that once in office can withstand the scrutiny of the public eye and still come out tops. I remember a capable woman MP who stepped down from the public eye after an incident in which she was seen washing her hands following some handshaking with hawkers at a wet market.

For all MPs, merit is not only about competence at work. It is also about being seen publicly as doing a good job. This is not the civil service or some corporate body where you are accountable only to your superiors. This is politics where you are rated by people in your constituency and are always in the public eye. This is where perceived slips of judgment can mean a loss of votes in an election year. That certainly is not good news for the MP or for the party the MP belongs to.

For a lesson on how to handle public perception, look at how Minister Khaw Boon Wan is handling the H1N1 flu situation. Also, look back at how he led us through the difficult NKF episode. Such bright sparks are not nurtured. They are born through fire — going into a crisis and coming out unscathed. So finding the right MP, whether man or woman, is not about merely scrutinising short-listed capable people and getting them elected into Parliament. It is about letting them go through the baptism of fire in the public eye. If they succeed, good news for Singapore. If not, the Government just has to go on trying till it gets enough of these MPs, though this will be difficult to do with such a small population to sieve talent from. And with women MPs, it just may be more difficult.

[1] Source: The Straits Times Forum Page A24, 18 Jun 2009

Immaturity, instead of imagination

singcitizen — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:32:21 +0000

Source: The Straits Times Forum Page A25, 7 May 2009
Letter by: Woffles Wu

Regardless of whatever internal bickering and feelings there are, STTA had a tremendous opportunity to put this saga to rest and graciously nominate coach Liu for an award he would have romped home with.

The association could have closed an ugly chapter. Instead, it has shown the public how immature it is.

Why couldn’t the table tennis association wait with the bad news?

singcitizen — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:01:58 +0000

We are supposed to be in jubilant mood here in Singapore today, for our triumphant Women’s Table Tennis Team is due home this afternoon with Singapore’s first Olympic silver medal since 1960. The Straits Times has several full-page advertisements welcoming home Team Singapore, particularly the women silver medalists, Wang Yuegu, Feng Tianwei and Li Jiawei.

Yet, the island is abuzz with talk about some goings-on in the Singapore Table Tennis Association. This morning, as I write this article, I hear Glenn Ong of the Morning Express radio programme saying that some higher-ups must have had a hand in toning down the remarks of the table tennis association president who earlier brought down the high spirits of the table tennis olympic team with her harsh remarks about the team managers.

Chef de Mission of the Singapore Olympic contingent, Dr Tan Eng Liang, rightly said that ‘Any bad news could have waited until after the celebrations.’ In fact, I think Dr Tan should have been consulted before the table tennis association officials made public any bad news, for as head of the Singapore Olympic team, he should have been accorded this respect in the very least. And I venture to say that Dr Tan, with his wide experience in the sports arena, would have dished out graceful advice.

But, it’s too late. What’s done has been done. The Straits Times today has two pages on the matter. In an article headlined ‘untimely and ungracious’, it mentioned having received ‘nearly 200 e-mails and letters from readers — almost all of whom voiced disbelief and outrage’ at the timing of the bad news.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong went out of his way to let Singaporeans partake in the historic moment by postponing the English telecast of his National Day Rally speech by a day so that they could watch the Olympic final of the women’s table tennis team. Along with most Singaporeans, he knew we had a slim chance of winning an Olympic gold for the event. But, he understood that the need for the nation to bask in the rare sporting moment took precedence over serious national issues which – though needing urgent public airing – could wait. Why then, couldn’t our table tennis association wait?

Source: The Straits Times 25 Aug 2008 Pages A4, A5, A11, A20