Slovak YOG Ambassador Danka Bartekova writes to TR
July 30th, 2010 | 
Author: Dear author of this article and all the readers,
I am taking the opportunity to say my statement about the article which was written and published in the Singapore local newspapers. (read article here)
[NOTE: The original article was published by Shin Min Daily on 27 July 2010 and its English translation published by TR the next day]
As I wasn´t aware the article was going to be written and nobody asked for my statement before publishing it, I am very disappointed I have found it on the internet only after few of my friends have noticed me.
First of all, I would like to explain my statement in the context it was used originally. I didn´t mean at any way critisize or blame the organizing committee for the sport venues.
Answering the question weather Slovakia could place a bid to organize the youth olympic games itself, I responded that the venues are normally used and are on a normal standard school level, nothing special should have been built to host such an event.
No new halls, no new stadiums or tracks should have been built. That means our country could potentially have sport capacities to host such an event, but we would probably have problems with other facilities. I understand that this statement could be used as a critical statemetn to the Singapore sport venues, but If you read it in the context it was originally used, you would understand that it was just a speculation about Slovakia´s possibility to host the games.
As for my comments to the spending of the budget, my answer was regarded to the fact that Singapore cheers for the olympic games and they are preparing an unforgettable event. Not any way of critisizing the budget, I was displaying how hard the organizing committee works, how much effort (and of course money) they put so that Singapore´s first Youth Olympic Games are a great and well-prepared event.
I am very sorry that my comments were used in the negative way and looked like blaming the organizing committee, so that I am linking the original article from where they were actually used:
http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/39665/9/ideals_are_high_for_first_youth_olympic_games.html
Please give it a chance and make your opinion yourselves.
Danka Bartekova
Young Ambassador for Slovakia
Posted in Letters
32 Responses to “Slovak YOG Ambassador Danka Bartekova writes to TR”
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I have read the full article and noted the following..
1. The initial article from TR was skewed – Ms Danka did not “pour scorn” on Singapore’s efforts. From the original article, I can see Ms. Danka’s point and she meant no disrespect to Singapore’s efforts and standards.
2. TR throughout the postings under YoG did not emphasize that this was IOC’s 1st and Initial Youth Olympics – Singapore’s success to capture this prize is something which we should be all proud of.
3. Teo Ser Luck need not come out to clarify and explain things – it only shows that he is concerned about the success and would like to avert any bad publicity.
4. A curious observation would be that he came out to clarify ONLY because a related NON Local was seen criticizing his “baby” and he largely ignored all LOCALS criticisms.
5. Both No. 3 and 4. suggests his sense of insecurity.
The clarification and the original article do put her remarks in context, rather. TR should have been less quick to quote the remarks without properly contextualising them. Sometimes I think TR rushes too quickly to seize on anything that can be twisted to become critical of the government / Singapore. In doing so TR shortchanges itself and undermines its own credibility.
@坡仔哥哥
It wasn’t TR that skewed it. It was our ‘timely and accurate’ main stream media that has taken it out of context first, where all other comments are based on since the rest has no access to her original speech.
Teo SL did clarify. He mentioned that all the facilities are compliant to Olympic requirement.
After spending more than Sin$350 million and giving out free condoms for all these youths (including the “ambassadors”) for this Why Orgy game, Singaporeans get a knife pook at the back by this damn girl.
If she can be appointed an “Ambassador” she should know it is a “diplomatic” role and she should be trained to use her words wisely. Or is her role to organize some real orgies with the Singapore Youths and populate Singapore as a result.
Singapore should file a criminal defamation suit against her. How dare a 3rd world youth say such things to a great first-world country liek Singapore.
Ge the fcuk out of Singapore!
Remember that TR ran a TRANSLATED version of the ORIGINAL article by a CHINESE MSM.
So if the Chinese MSM had taken her remarks out of context, then the TRANSLATED version would also be out of context and translated likewise.
At least her ORIGINAL intended message have been put into the right context following her clarification which TR published in full while I am not sure if he Chinese MSM would do the same.
What if some of these YOG youths and ambassadors caught for consuming large quantity of drugs….much more than the permitted level ..i.e. mandate to be hanged?
Would the Singapore court send say 20 to 30 of these FT devils to be hanged?
So how did TR respond to the email? Own up and take responsibility or try to palm it off and blame the chinese article it exagerrated, excuse me, translated.
Danka, if you are reading this, then now you know the level of dissent the people has for their government (slang: gah-men). Read more in Temasek Review and you will realize Singaporeans are being “legally” forced to do anything/everything. Nothing is voluntary.
This YOG now is close to S$400m in costs, more than 3 times the original budget. If the gah-men simply spend one-third on the poor and needy or half to include those unemployed, maybe, just maybe, the people may be more receptive to celebrate.
So come as you are as the ambassadress but your comments is appreciated and your observation is VERY accurate. No need to apologize. Only those who suck up to our gahmen and deny the truths will attack you. Every country has its own spies. Yours too ya?
Have fun-and try our durians-it’s not as stinky as our gahmen is.
When TR has published this letter in full, surely they are not malicious in any way.
As to the skewing part, it is just sensationalizing to make an article more readable and attractive to read. Since everything is clear now, would you support YOG?
True or not, every Singaporean should boycott this event and let the PAPaya knows that Singaporeans are not up for bully by them. Treat local like shit and foreigner like gold…….I bet this is the only country in the world that behave this way.
No kid, it’s okay. We don’t blame your honesty.
In fact, you opened a lot of people’s eyes towards this fiasco that it’s the first Youth Olympic Games. So miserable is this event that over 80% of the population of Singapore actually say they could not give two hoots about this waste-of-money event that our government is pushing.
Don’t take it too hard.
Dear Danka,
Please don’t worry and take it easy and enjoy the great food here in Singapore.
I am sure most of the readers here on Temasek Review and in Singapore generally don’t have any negative views towards you.
In fact, I would say that most folks on Temasek Review and in Singapore generally probably agree with you and think it funny that it takes a young outsider like you to call a spade a spade and talk straight in a frank manner.
I don’t think what you said is wrong or inaccurate, even if your statements are assumed to be critical of Singapore. But I don’t think it is even right to assume that your statements are meant to be critical of Singapore. So, don’t worry.
At least she takes the effort to apologize without being prompted — even when apology is not even necessary (because she did and said nothing wrong)
Unlike PAP and its cronies.
Credit to her for being honest and straight forward.
What is the moral of this story? Who’s right or wrong?
Dank Bartekova: Not Guilty. Her words were frist and foremost, taken out of context by local chinese papers. She was responding as a loyal citizen of slovak saying that the facilities in slovak are also good, singapore facilities are nothing special that slovak could easily match singapore’s and be a host of the games too. As we know bidding for the games was competitive, so as a loyal citizen of her own country she said something not so much to demean another country but to rather to emphasise her pride in her own country.
spore local chinese daily: Guilty beyond doubt. Sensationalised the article as “foreign yOG leaders scorn singapore facilities” as headlines. Taken out of context, as mentioned by Danke.
Temasek Review somewhat guilty – quoted the chinese paper but did not bother to check the details, so added on to the mis-information.
TR netcitizens some of them just too emotional. Dank, please forgive. Singaporeans are not all like that madame.
Teo Ser Luck Brainless young leader of the incumbent government. He should have read the context of what Dank Bertekova said (as per her link provided) and then responded diplomatically. There is no need to defend Singapore’s stadium venues when clearly the original statement of Dank was merely an expression of national pride in her own country’s facilities in comparison to Singapore’s. Teo Ser Luck swallowed the venom hook line and sinker from the chinese papers, and treated it as if Singapore is being criticised specifically for its inability to provide good facilities. Teo Ser Luck has no eye for details, did not research exaclty the context the words of Dank were used, defended unnecessarily causing more tension and illfeeling. It is a poor display of leadership, as is characteristic of the singapore government in these latter days.
zero
although TR claim to only translate the letter from Shinmin, it usually use another misleading topic header and add their own salt at the end of the article.
@ Harveen
Exactly, this is what TR has become. Seize on anything, politicise it & use it to whack PAP. Rant and rave. Such a far cry from the days of Wayang Party where journalistic integrity comes first and you can read incisive and thought-provoking article.
Even worse still, when you dare criticise TR for it’s lack of quality, there will be mindless goons saying things like “You must be pro-PAP!”, “This is freedom of expression! You shouldn’t try to censor!” rabble..rabble..rabble.. In summary, George Bush-sque “You are either with us or against us”.
What these people do not understand is that quality control does not equal censorship. Much like during primary school time – if you composition is not selected for publishing in school magazine, it’s not because the teacher is trying to censor your work, but it’s because your work hasn’t got sufficient quality to get published.
What TR is doing is to undermine it’s own credibility. The coming election will be decided NOT by the anti-PAP group (since they will vote any oppositions), but by those who are undecided, or is PAP-aligned but growing disenchanted with it. Already the millionaire ministers and the MSM is spreading the propaganda that “Things you read online are not credible”. Imagine if one of such people come to TR, and all they read are the just pure ranting and raving, they will also come away with the conclusion that the MSM is right. So effectively, TR is only sabotaging itself in the long run.
the chinese MSM news is getting worse and worse. and some doggies drunk on their own saliva have the audacity to blame TR for misinterpreting.
Without being emotional and in all honesty – I believed and found that TR did the best it could to not take sides [but then we if TR did take sides of the antiPAP camp, there's no absolute embarassment, if any or, no 2 hoots about it. Is there anywhere in the shit times they all too frequently allow alot of anti pap to be published, allow alot of critical views of pap to be published? So no regrets TR, so what if we are all obvious antiPAP, is it a big deal, is it wrong]
all else been equal, fair comments by everyone, isn’t this democracy, free speech, freedom of information/expression, you ask for it, so here’s it…
anyone who cannot think, please hide in some hole….
From what I can read, TSL said that IOC has inspected all venues…, and members have expressed confidence …
There is NOTHING to read in the report that IOC said the venues are up to standards, and there is NOTHING to read from what Teo said that IOC is happy and satisfied with what they SAW. Its just MERELY Teo saying that they expressed confidence – which could also mean to say that well IOC didnt accept the venues are up to acceptable standards, but cant be helped, they have confidence like ‘no fish prwans also good’ sentiments!!!
Actually Danka, even IF you meant your comments to criticize the Singapore YOG, I would fully support your view as many other Singaporeans do.
There are already 2 Facebook groups of Singaporeans who are boycotting the YOG and 1 Facebook groups just to say that the YOG cheer is retarded and sucks.
@ Harveen
“Sometimes I think TR rushes too quickly to seize on anything that can be twisted to become critical of the government / Singapore”
so are you not the same here, quickly twisting the fact to discredit TR, what TR did was just translating what is on the article from the Chinese MSM, TR did not in anyway twisted the article publish by the Chinese MSM to discredit anyone.
please get the fact right before posting.
Blame TR arh?
Stoopid Sinkies. You’re saying MSM don’t tell truths?(well they do, just usually in a skewed way to make PAP look holy)
TR merely translated it. You’re saying MSM publishes fairy tales? You wanna die ah? ISD come and rape your ass.
TR, suggest u ask her to redirect her clarification to our local Shin Min Daily and demand an apology from them as well since it was Shin Min that started all this misunderstanding.
I think what is more surprising to her was not that she was misinterpreted but rather her misinterpreted version is actually a better seller with the citizens of this country!
Its ok TR – you are trying to do a good pro job, and I believed so far so good bearing in mind the contraints you have.
You are much much better than Shit times – I recalled that ‘biased’ interview that ST done with JBJ’ son recently?? And how did ST TWISTED what JBJ son said???
And also remembered Al Jazeera’s exit?? What did M1 denied ST reported ????
TR, your translation is horrible!!!
Dear Danka Bartekova
You have done no wrong.
Not to worry about all this. Actually, your picture should not have appeared on the press without your permission!
From what i read, this interview was between you and TSS (The Slovak Spectator)
This Chinese daily had no right to use it in the first place! Maybe you need to speak to your ‘friends’ about all this! Otherwise, who else would have known about this TSS website?
Please except our warmest welcome to this real happening nation.
You will do good in the near future!
A young woman who did not crumble to Journalists unfair practices.
I hope the ‘Reporters Without Borders’ have something to say about this newspaper! ‘Despicable Them!’
Love this Country, Ya!
i stand by TR. At least it also printed Danka’s clarification. So why kick up a fuss about TR?
One word for her. Spineless and suck up. “Citizen” material macham Sinhaha. You can come here as PR or student 1st, like Ms PRC pro.
The lady has clarified and it is to TR’s credit that her letter was published. What I do find however is that TR need to moderate the comments or disallow comments that do not offer any substance to the discussions. What irks me are the senseless personal attacks and gutter language allowed. Let us be more sensitive and not treat TR like a porn site.
TR happy to condemn local press for no standard journalism when it suits them, but willing to jump on their sensationalistic stories without clarification when it suits them – no integrity at all.
Excuse me folks…TR based on Chinese MSM article which the original cost of the hullaboo boo boo…
Those who got a bone with TR….should also throw a couple of the bones too at Chinese MSM for sensationalizing Ms Danka comments.
At least TR put it right by publishing Ms Danka rebuttals.
Has the Chinese MSM [Main Media of SPH of PAP] made the necessary corrections recently to its pool of readers and also an apology to Ms Danka.
At least Ms Danak shoot it straight and in the open.
And since TR publish her rebuttal…TR has also shown it is trying to do the right thing by her too.
So … any more hulla boo boo again?
Haiz.