Workgroup to look into dirty habits in Singapore heartland

It'll examine causes of anti-social actions like littering in HDB estates
April Chong & Eisen Teo, Straits Times 26 May 08;

BAD behaviour in the HDB heartland seems to be on the rise - whether it's residents who let their wet laundry drip onto the floors below or those who sweep rubbish out of the door into common areas.

The lack of social consciousness is enough to prompt the setting up of a workgroup that will look at, among other things, causes of the littering problem.

Chairing the workgroup will be Senior Minister of State (National Development and Education) Grace Fu.

She noted the rising number of conflicts among residents, some of which stem from dirty habits.

In the past, families would keep the common areas outside their own homes clean.

'These days, the expectation is that as long as it is a common area, a cleaner must come almost every day and immediately when there is rubbish,' she said.

She also noted that closed-circuit television used to be installed mainly for security reasons.

Now, it is increasingly being used to catch litterbugs and those who urinate in common areas.

Ms Fu picked the occasion of the Island-Wide Cleanest Estate Competition prize presentation ceremony yesterday to announce the formation of the group, which will include four other Members of Parliament.

Nine MPs were at Block 386 Bukit Batok West Avenue 5 to pick up awards on behalf of their town councils for keeping their resident committee zones, town centres, food centres and toilets spick and span.

None would say that the littering problem has worsened, although all had anecdotes about bad social behaviour that had been brought to their attention.

Ungracious Singaporeans are not the only litterbugs, said Hong Kah GRC MP Ang Mong Seng.

Foreign workers are adding to the littering problem too, he said.

'They do not know that this is an offence here. Therefore, the town council staff and grassroots members have to give them advice. We need some time to educate them.'

Jurong Town Council yesterday walked off with awards in all four competition categories.

These are open to the 14 People's Action Party town councils.

Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre at Jurong East Street 24 - one of the winning food centres - had relied heavily on stallholder and town council help to keep its premises spotless.

The stallholders attend courses on hygiene and foodhandling conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA) while the cleaners attend basic cleaning courses, said the food centre's chairman Neo Swee Eng.

The Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang Town Council is also making an extra effort against littering.

Working with the NEA, it will have litter indices posted at community centres and clubs to indicate how clean or dirty their surrounding areas are.

The indices will be updated monthly.

Yesterday, grassroots leaders went around Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 to collect litter. The litter was dumped into a 'Litter-O-Meter' - a transparent acrylic bin that measures 140cm by 80cm by 80cm.

In the space of 45 minutes, the garbage had piled up to a metre high.

The cleanest estate competition was last held in 2003. Mr Ang, who is also the chairman of its organising committee, plans to conduct the competition every other year.