Is it a waste of money for Singapore to invest in sports? By Lim Kay Kiat

It is important that the Singapore government invests in sports. There has been an increase in the number of people who watch sports as a form of leisure. For example, every four years, it is estimated that more than 3 billion people views the Olympics throughout its 17 days. Thus, the Singapore government should invest in sports as it is a great platform to let Singapore showcase its talents in sports to the world. Furthermore, studies have shown that by investing in elite sports, governments have successfully been able to interest the citizens in a certain sports their country excels in, thus increasing the number of people who participate in that particular sport. This in turn leads to a healthier nation, and a larger pool of talents to pick from for the future. Thus, it is not a waste of money for the government to invest in sports, as it would encourage more Singaporeans to do sports.
However, some people think that the Singapore government should not invest in sports as it is a huge waste of resources which could be better spent somewhere else. In Singapore, most people lead hectic lifestyles which do not allow them to take part in sports on a regular basis. For example, recent studies have shown that 17% of Singaporeans spend more than 10 hours for work outside work hours and more than 50% of Singaporeans spend 5 hours for work outside work time. Thus they would prefer to spend the little free time they have to rest and relax rather than engaging in sports. Furthermore, these people think that the government should use these resources to solve problems that are of greater importance like an aging population and the rising cost of healthcare in Singapore. Thus, these people think investing in healthcare is a waste of money.
EXCELLENT WRITING !! - Mrs Teoh