To mourn or celebrate? Kinabalu tragedy versus SEA Games medals

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Friday was the opening ceremony of the SEA Games in Singapore. On the same day, the Sabah earthquake happened.


This resulted in a bipolar Straits Times front page the next day with the headline "Sabah quake: 8 S'pore kids, 2 teachers missing" and a giant picture of fireworks below it.

So was ST telling us to be concerned about the missing Singaporeans or happy about the SEA Games?


The two emotions sort of cancelled each other out.


Of course, by now, we know that eight Singaporeans have died in the quake, six of them schoolchildren from Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS). Two people are still missing. (UPDATE: Their bodies have been found.) It's a national tragedy.


But the Games must go on.


Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong declared Monday a Day of National Remembrance for those killed in the quake and that "one minute of silence will be observed at the beginning of the day at all SEA Games venues", thus conflating the two major news events of the day.

This gave ST the opportunity to make up for the awkward earlier front page with a great front page photo yesterday of players observing a minute of silence before the Singapore-Cambodia football match and spectators holding up signs that said "Prayers for TKPS" in the background.

More at To mourn or celebrate? Kinabalu tragedy versus SEA Games medals


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