STANDARD OF ATHLETICS IN SINGAPORE

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Community Development why our present Singapore athletic standard is so low when compared to other Asian countries as evidenced by the poor showing of our athletes at the recent Asian Track and Field Championships held recently in Jakarta.

Mr S. Dhanabalan: A total of 26 countries participated at the recent Asian Track and Field Championships held in Jakarta. 10 countries, including Singapore, did not win any medal.

Our population and our talent pool in sports are small. Our athletes are amateurs. Those who have the talent have to set their own individual priorities between sports and studies or working careers.

The Member probably thinks that the Government should act to produce champions. Sports and other recreational interests must be left to the individual to pursue privately. These are not areas into which the Government should intrude too much.

The Government through the Singapore Sports Council's "Sports for All" policy provides the facilities to encourage healthy sports recreation for all citizens. The policy benefits everyone. It is up to those who are interested to take advantage of the facilities and train and discipline themselves to gain international recognition for their achievements. Some have done so, eg in swimming, squash and bowling.