FAS disband National Team Saga - A inside view of our Gov's belief system.

For local football supporters, the past month had been the worst nightmare since Singapore was trashed by Malaysia at our National Stadium some donkeys years ago...

All local club competitions are won by foreign teams, Singapore kicked out of Asian Cup when they just required a draw to get through, Singapore knocked out of the group stage of the ASEAN Championship (Suzuki Cup), and many other bad press that still persisted till today.

But the biggest news (one that spread across all possible medium in Singapore) is the disbandment of our very own National Team.

In an interview with Channel News Asia, FAS President Zainudin Nordin (also MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and the Mayor for Central CDC) said, "We have analysed the reports on what happened in 2010 and realise that for the good of football, I think, we have a major revamp of the national team. What is going to happen is that we are going to have a new slate of players, that means players that will be totally taken from ground zero.

"...means all the (existing) players will be dropped and the national coach and the technical team will do a (new) selection based on merit." - this literally mean that the coach and the FA had been selecting players without basing on merits and their performance for the clubs in the S-league."

"That means all the (existing) players will be dropped and the national coach and the technical team will do a (new) selection based on merit. From all the assessments, we believe this is the best thing to do, for the good of the future of Singapore football."

The problem with this 2 paragraph in the interview highlighted a previously unknown and unacceptable fact for a country pledge to meritocracy - "we are going to have a new slate of players, that means players that will be totally taken from ground zero. That means all the (existing) players will be dropped and the national coach and the technical team will do a (new) selection based on merit." - this literally mean that the coach and the FA had been selecting players without basing on merits and their performance for the clubs in the S-league.

Not to mention, FAS also uses a Foreign Talent Scheme which they basically "buy" the allegiance of certain "outstanding" players so that they can represent Singapore (which is why Mr. Goh Chok Tong was confident of "buying Singapore into the 2010 World Cup" with Goal2010.

The revelation confirmed what the fans had been obeserving and feared that the National Team is not selected based on merit. The finally revealed "truth" shocked the entire local football supporters community and quickly gain countless criticism from a huge cross section of the Singapore population.

"it is becoming obvious that this is quite self-serving and may reflect the bigger picture of what the PAP's belief of the method to achieving success is."

If in football, the organisation led by PAP leaders have the beliefs that importing foreigners and trashing out everyone except changing the management and leadership is the way to do things - it is becoming obvious that this is quite self-serving and may reflect the bigger picture of what the PAP's belief of the method to achieving success is.

Since all the messed ups in 2010 by PAP leaders, none had stand up to apologise and admit that the cock ups are their fault. This very public disbandment of the National Team just further show that the leadership will just keep protecting their own butt and will put the blame to the people below them whom had actually worked very hard but still fail because of the poor strategic and organisational decisions made by the leadership.

Gazetting of TOC - a sign of weakness?

"The first reaction I had was that the Ruling Party is attempting to "shut down" TOC."

The breaking news yesterday was the announcement of the gazetting of The Online Citizen.

Based on the article, the TOC is required to reveal all the ppl behind the site as well as being gazetted as a political association - thus cannot receive any fundings for overseas at all.

The first reaction I had was that the Ruling Party is attempting to "shut down" TOC.

TOC, is infamous for their extremely one-sided and anti-PAP stance; to register with MDA, gazette as a Political Association and at the same time revealing everyone's identity is as good as opening themselves to potential lawsuits and even the controversial National Security Act.

"...revealing everyone's identity is as good as opening themselves to potential lawsuits and even the controversial National Security Act."

I personally do not endorse the sort of reporting by TOC, but do give them credit for doing a pretty good job at revealing the plight of fellow Singaporeans and mis-doings under the current Government's imperfect rule.

But on the other side of this developing story, the leadership of the PAP apparently had revealed indirectly of their vulnerability ahead of the coming election. They apparently know that their profit and GDP driven rule for the past 4 or more years is rated very badly by the people. In addition, last year (2010) was the worst ever year for PAP for as long as any Gen Y babies (1983 and later) can ever remember.

"They (the ruling party) actually knew that they had pushed the envelope too much."

They (the ruling party) actually knew that they had pushed the envelope too much; they finally realised that they can actually and possibly sank into their worst ever performance in an General Election since our nation's independence; they are afraid the status quo will no longer be able to be maintained. The gazette of TOC reveals all this.

The PAP had, since under Mr Goh Chok Tong's rule, started to play with carrots like HDB upgrades, Lifts Upgrade, Before-Election-Cash-Payouts, and many other less than impressive ideas... They assumed that most Singaporean are daft and will not be able to tell that they are manipulated through the use of these carrots; that even if they knew, they would still vote the PAP in because the oppositions just cannot make it...

"...a new Generation of voters (the Gen-Y) that a high percentage are expected to vote nay to PAP."

But the coming General Election is different... it would going to go down in history as the first election in a long time to be fully contested without a single walk-over. It is going to happen at the back of the worst ever "living-condition" and happiness level since independence... as well as a new Generation of voters (the Gen-Y) that a high percentage are expected to vote nay to PAP.

I just wonder, if TOC refuse the register, what is going to happen? =\

What will Singaporeans do if PAP decides not to have Elections at all?

Honestly, being through and through Singaporeans, we totally understand our typical Singaporean nature of just keeping quiet, minding our own business and avoid "mafan" situation at all cost.

The many years of subdued situation and caused a muffling effect on the vocalness of Singaporeans about politics and public affairs. Political talks and criticisms can only be heard in small talks and occasional conversation with family members and taxi drivers. Although the internet forum and political portals like Temasek Review and TheOnlineCitizen is getting traction - it does not change the fact that its already part of our nature to be shy and reserved.

"so many incidents already, yet we still do not have any riots, public display of disapproval or anything of any sort."

Mas Selamat escape, YOG over budget, Temasek and GIC financial losses, rubbish comments from PAP politicians, multiple 50 a year floods, Wikileaks about Singaporean diplomats unkind words about fellow Asian countries - so many incidents already, yet we still do not have any riots, public display of disapproval or anything of any sort.

Suddenly I have this thought: What if PAP decides to scrap Elections totally?

"What if PAP decides to scrap Elections totally?"

Will this be enough to call Singaporeans into action to protest against such a move?
Will there be riots?
Will there be strikes?
Will there even be any strong reaction by the people???

It seriously worries me when I have such thought incepted into my mind (by myself; and now, by me to you). I suddenly sees the important of "freedom of speech" and "the rights to protest". Suddenly, the student riots in England does not seem silly anymore... Suddenly, I realised how vulnerable Singapore is now - just that its not because of Racial Differences - but Political Indifferences...

And common sense tells me that of all likelihood: Singaporeans might actually do nothing.

"Singaporeans might actually do nothing."

Will you stand up for democracy and freedom if that day ever comes?