Transboundary Haze Pollution Act not about national sovereignty: MEWR

The Ministry was responding to comments by Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar on Singapore's attempts to act against Indonesian companies responsible for haze-causing forest fires.
Channel NewsAsia 15 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) is meant to deter and prosecute those responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, and is not directed at any individual or company based on nationality, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said in a statement on Wednesday (Jun 15).

Instead, MEWR said its actions are directed at irresponsible companies which clear land by burning. "The companies will hide behind any opacity if they can, to avoid being held accountable and further perpetuate the haze problem that has plagued the region for decades," it said.

The Ministry's comments were in response to media reports of comments by Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar on Monday.

Dr Nurbaya had reportedly told the media that Singapore could not step further to enter Indonesia’s legal domain on the issue of forest fires because the two countries do not have an agreement in the matter. She was also quoted as saying that Singapore's actions with the THPA showed that it did not respect Indonesia's sovereignty.

However, MEWR said in its statement that this was not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity.

The purpose of the THPA is to deter and prosecute those responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, whether Singaporean or foreign, MEWR said, adding that it was drafted with the advice of international law experts and complied with international law.

The "blatant disregard of the environmental and social consequences affecting millions of people in our region" shown by these companies should not go unchecked, MEWR said.

"Indonesia should welcome this additional tool to curtail irresponsible activities that have affected the health, social and economic well-being of Indonesians and people in the region."

SINGAPORE RESPECTS INDONESIA'S SOVEREIGNTY: MEWR

In the statement, MEWR emphasised that it respects Indonesia's sovereignty. "It is for this very reason that Singapore has repeatedly asked for the information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia from the relevant Indonesian authorities. We have yet to receive any information," said the authority.

It added that Singapore has always upheld its bilateral relations with Indonesia: "That is why Singapore companies continue to be encouraged to invest in Indonesia, and vice versa, and bilateral tourism thrives."

MEWR said it remains committed to work with its Indonesian counterparts to bring errant companies to task and "tackle the fires and haze problem which is affecting Indonesians, Singaporeans and others in the region, in the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect".

- CNA/mz


S’pore’s efforts to tackle haze culprits ‘not about national sovereignty’
Today Online 15 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE — Indonesia should welcome Singapore’s transboundary haze laws as an additional tool to curtail irresponsible acts that have caused the haze which has plagued both Indonesians and others in the region for decades, Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said on Wednesday (June 15).

The issue, the ministry added in a statement, was thus not one of “sovereignty or national dignity”, despite recent statements by Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar that Singapore could not “tread on the realm of law that was under Indonesia”, and that the Republic’s actions showed that it “did not respect Indonesia”.

Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla also entered the fray, warning earlier this week that the country would not allow Singapore to prosecute its citizens suspected of causing forest fires that led to the haze which blanketed the region last year.

His comments were in response to Singapore issuing a court warrant against an unnamed Indonesian company director after he failed to turn up for an interview over ongoing investigations into firms linked to last year’s haze, despite being served a legal notice.

On Wednesday, the MEWR said Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) is aimed at deterring and prosecuting entities that are responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, whether Singaporean or foreign. The act, it said, “adds to the collective efforts to hold errant companies accountable for their irresponsible actions”.

“Indonesia should welcome this additional tool to curtail irresponsible activities that have affected the health, social and economic well-being of Indonesians and people in the region,” said the MEWR.

“If anything, the companies will hide behind any opacity if they can, to avoid being held accountable, and further perpetuate the haze problem that has plagued the region for decades.”

Adding that the THPA was drafted with advice from experts in international law, and complies with international law, Mewr said it is not directed at any individual or company based on nationality.

“This is, therefore, not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity.”

Stressing that Singapore respects Indonesian sovereignty, the MEWR said: “It is for this very reason that Singapore has repeatedly asked for the information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia from the relevant Indonesian authorities. We have yet to receive any information.”

“Singapore has always upheld its bilateral relations with Indonesia. That is why Singapore companies continue to be encouraged to invest in Indonesia, and vice versa, and bilateral tourism thrives,” the ministry said, adding that it remains committed to working with its Indonesian counterparts “in the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect”.

The ministry also reiterated that the key driver of the recurring transboundary haze is commercial, and as such, its actions are directed at irresponsible companies that clear land by burning.

“Such blatant disregard of the environmental and social consequences affecting millions of people in our region should not go unchecked, and calls for collective efforts by governments and all stakeholders,” it said.


Singapore rebukes Indonesia's remark on legal intervention on haze act
AsiaOne 15 Jun 16;

Indonesia's Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya (left) responded to comments made by Singapore's Minister of Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.

SINGAPORE - The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) has nothing to do with sovereignty or national dignity, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) emphasised in a sharply-worded rebuke to Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Dr Ir Siti Nurbaya Bakar.

Dr Nurbaya had said earlier on Monday (June 13) that Singapore could not "tread on the realm of law that was under Indonesia", and that Singapore's actions showed that it "did not respect Indonesia".

Reiterating that the THPA is targeted at commercial entities responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, an MEWR spokesperson said: "The THPA was drafted with advice from experts in international law and complies with international law. It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality."

"Indonesia should welcome this additional tool to curtail irresponsible activities that have affected the health, social and economic well-being of Indonesians and people in the region.

"If anything, the companies will hide behind any opacity if they can, to avoid being held accountable and further perpetuate the haze problem that has plagued the region for decades."

On May 11, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) had obtained a court warrant against an Indonesian company director after he failed to turn up for an interview despite being served a legal notice.

The Indonesian was summoned to explain measures his company has taken to mitigate fires on its concession land.

The Indonesian government then issued a series of conflicting statements, starting with its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir, who claimed that Indonesia had lodged a "strong protest" against NEA's actions.

A spokesperson from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) clarified one day later on May 13 that it did not receive any representations from Indonesia.

"Mr Arrmanatha's remarks are puzzling," the MFA spokesperson said.

On Sunday (June 12), Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said that Jakarata would not allow its citizen to be "processed" under Singapore's law, The Straits Times reported.

"If there is an offence, Singapore can take action, but (the offence) occurred in Indonesia, that is the concern," he said in the same report.

Commenting on Dr Nurbaya's comments, veteran Singaporean diplomat Mr Bilahari Kausikan said on his Facebook page on Tuesday (June 14) that Singapore is enforcing its own laws.

"The only reason we are "entering into their legal domain" is because they have been singularly ineffective in enforcing their own laws,' he wrote.

The straight-talking ambassador-at-large added: "What they are claiming is we cannot enforce our own laws against an Indonesian national which is tantamount to claiming extraterritorial immunity for Indonesians.

"This is not merely arrogant but patently absurd, or at least absurd if one did not have reason to suspect that the individual in question was not connected to senior Indonesian figures who may be complicit in the environmental crimes we want to question him about.

"From that perspective the Indonesian position is entirely logical."

Singapore targeting private firms linked to Indonesian fires
Francis Chan, The Straits Times/ANN, Jakarta Post 16 Jun 16;

Singapore's move to go after companies linked to fires in Indonesia that led to last year's haze is not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity, said a Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) spokesman on Wednesday.

The ministry said its actions under the country's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) was aimed at deterring and prosecuting entities that are responsible for transboundary haze pollution.

"The THPA was drafted with advice from experts in international law and complies with international law," added the spokesman. "It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality."

MEWR was responding to comments in recent days by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla as well as Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar about Singapore's decision to take court action against an Indonesian company director via the THPA.

Kalla said that Singapore cannot take action against its citizens responsible for last year's forest fires, while Siti accused the Republic of not exercising "mutual respect" by invoking the THPA.

She said the ASEAN agreement on transboundary haze pollution is a multilateral one, and not a bilateral pact between Singapore and Indonesia. As such, "Singapore cannot step further into Indonesia's legal domain", she added.

Siti also said the THPA remains a "controversial" law that is still being debated among ASEAN officials from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

That is why she feels that Singapore's action under the law against errant firms in her country is not a show of "mutual respect".

MEWR, however, said the key driver of the recurring transboundary haze is commercial. It said companies' blatant disregard for the environmental and social consequences of the haze, which affects millions of people in the region, should not go unchecked.

"The phenomenal amount of greenhouse gases also emitted during the burning of peatland will have a profound effect on climate change that the world is battling to slow," said the spokesman.

"This is therefore not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity."

The ministry emphasized that Singapore respects Indonesian sovereignty and it is for that very reason that Singapore has repeatedly requested local authorities to share information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia.

Fires burning on concession land owned by private companies are said to have caused the haze crisis which affected many countries in South-east Asia.

The smoke from fires last year sent air pollution to record levels, resulting in at least 19 deaths from haze-related illnesses and more than half a million Indonesians suffering from respiratory infections.

The World Bank estimates that the fires and haze caused at least US$16 billion in economic losses for Indonesia alone.

Indonesian officials, however, do not expect a repeat of the crisis this year, though that may be due more to favorable weather than progress in addressing the underlying causes of the blazes, reported Bloomberg News Wednesday.

Satellite imagery detected about 730 hot spots so far this year, down from more than 2,900 in the first six months of last year, according to government data.

Raffles Panjaitan, the Environment and Forestry Ministry official tasked with overseeing fire prevention, said integrated fire patrol teams have been deployed in villages where forest fires are an annual occurrence.

"Normally forest fires are quite rampant in February and March, but there are no fires in villages where patrols are deployed," he said.


Singapore calls on Indonesia for information on suspected polluters
Reuters 16 Jun 16;

Singapore appealed to Indonesia on Wednesday for information on companies suspected of causing cross-border pollution, saying stopping smoke from fires set by plantation firms was not an issue of "sovereignty".

Fires in Indonesia, often set in the dry season by companies clearing land for plantations, causes an annual "haze" crisis over large parts of the region. Indonesia has often promised action but the problem persists.

Singapore passed a cross-border haze act in 2014, making those who cause haze both criminally and civilly liable, but it has been having trouble getting information.

"Singapore has repeatedly asked for the information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia from the relevant Indonesian authorities. We have yet to receive any information," Singapore's ministry of environment and water resources said in a statement.

Indonesia's environment and forestry minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said this week Singapore could not "tread on the realm of law that was under Indonesia", and Singapore "did not respect Indonesia", media reported.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla was also quoted as saying that Indonesia would not allow Singapore to prosecute its citizens over forest fires that blanketed the region in toxic smoke.

Singapore said its law complied with international law to "deter and prosecute entities that are responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, whether Singaporean or foreign, as well as persons holding positions of responsibility in these entities".

"It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality. This is therefore not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity," the ministry said.

Singapore's National Environment Agency had summoned the director of Indonesian company suspected of pollution but he failed to turn up for an interview.

Last month, the agency got a court warrant to secure his attendance when he next enters Singapore.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Singapore calls on Indonesia for information on suspected polluters
EDGAR SU Reuters 15 Jun 16l
Singapore appealed to Indonesia on Wednesday for information on companies suspected of causing cross-border pollution, saying stopping smoke from fires set by plantation firms was not an issue of "sovereignty".

Fires in Indonesia, often set in the dry season by companies clearing land for plantations, causes an annual "haze" crisis over large parts of the region. Indonesia has often promised action but the problem persists.

Singapore passed a cross-border haze act in 2014, making those who cause haze both criminally and civilly liable, but it has been having trouble getting information.

"Singapore has repeatedly asked for the information on companies suspected of illegal burning in Indonesia from the relevant Indonesian authorities. We have yet to receive any information," Singapore's ministry of environment and water resources said in a statement.

Indonesia's environment and forestry minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said this week Singapore could not "tread on the realm of law that was under Indonesia", and Singapore "did not respect Indonesia", media reported.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla was also quoted as saying that Indonesia would not allow Singapore to prosecute its citizens over forest fires that blanketed the region in toxic smoke.

Singapore said its law complied with international law to "deter and prosecute entities that are responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, whether Singaporean or foreign, as well as persons holding positions of responsibility in these entities".

"It is not directed at any individual nor company based on nationality. This is therefore not an issue of sovereignty or national dignity," the ministry said.

Singapore's National Environment Agency had summoned the director of Indonesian company suspected of pollution but he failed to turn up for an interview.

Last month, the agency got a court warrant to secure his attendance when he next enters Singapore.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Read more!

Butteflies’ well-being at exhibition will not be compromised: Science Centre

REGINA MARIE LEE Today Online 15 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE — In response to concerns from the public about the treatment of butterflies in its “Butterflies Up-Close” exhibition, the Science Centre Singapore (SCS) said on Wednesday (June 15) it is looking into “more precautionary measures” to ensure that the well-being of butterflies is not compromised.

Some butterfly lovers who visited the permanent exhibition, which opened on April 30, had raised concerns about disturbed pupae, butterflies which they said were deformed and butterfly wings being sold.

Currently, the pupae, which are meant for display only, are hung on a 1.8m-tall rack out of the reach of children, but within the enclosure, said an SCS spokesperson. The centre is considering moving all pupae to the back room, she added.

Butterfly enthusiast Foo Jit Leang, 67, shared pictures of butterflies with crumpled wings and what appeared to be dead butterflies on the ground on the “Butterflies of Singapore” Facebook group.

He was concerned that visitors were allowed to touch the pupae on display, and said this caused adult butterflies to emerge deformed.

In response to TODAY’s queries, SCS said visitors are not allowed to touch pupae, and can only touch butterflies with supervision.

Two to three guides, who are trained on how the insects should be handled, are “always on-ground to supervise the public’s interactions with the butterflies”, and signs on dos and don’ts are placed at the enclosure entrance.

When asked about the butterflies with crumpled wings, SCS said that newly emerged butterflies have wings that are “folded or crinkled”, which must dry before the butterfly can fly.

However, Mr Foo, who has a butterfly garden, disputed this. “A butterfly takes about five to 10 minutes to form their wings, but these (in the picture he posted) are definitely deformed,” he said.

Butterfly lovers on the Facebook group were also concerned that butterfly wings are being sold at the centre to make bookmarks and frames, and were worried that butterflies were being killed for their wings.

Mr Foo said the butterfly wings being sold were too pristine to be from old ones which had died, as butterfly wings fade over time.

SCS said the butterflies used for its bookmark and frame-making activities were “only used after their lifecycle has ended”.

“We believe this is a wonderful way to memorialise their beauty, and allows visitors to witness for themselves the wonders of these insects,” said the spokesperson.

Mr Foo said using butterfly wings for art and craft “sends the wrong message to students”, comparing it to using elephant tusks to make jewellery. “I fear that kids will get the idea to catch butterflies ... you cannot use nature products for art and craft,” he added.

An SCS spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns that have been raised, and we’d like to reassure the public that the well-being of the butterflies is our priority.”

The spokesperson added that the SCS was considering additional measures, but these have not been confirmed.

Butterfly lovers such as Mr Foo were worried about the impact of this exhibition on children. “They’re not passing a correct message as far as butterfly conservation is concerned,” he said.

Read more!

Six cases of multi-drug resistant TB in Ang Mo Kio block, MOH offers free screening to residents

The six pose no ongoing public health risk as they have either completed or are undergoing treatment.
Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The detection of an unusual cluster of six multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) infections at a block of flats in Ang Mo Kio has prompted health authorities to offer free TB screenings to the block's residents starting Thursday (Jun 16) until Sunday (Jun 19).

In a statement, the Health Ministry assured the public that the six pose no ongoing public health risk, as they have either completed or are receiving treatment.

DISCOVERY OF THE CLUSTER

The six individuals with MDRTB come from four separate units at Block 203 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3. The first three cases come from the same household, with the first individual in that unit diagnosed in February 2012. The rest of the household was subsequently monitored for the infection. Two were later diagnosed with active MDRTB in May 2012 and October last year.

In that period, two more diagnoses were made of individuals in separate units within the same block, in April 2014 and October last year. The last individual was diagnosed in May, and brought to the attention of authorities after a doctor at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's TB Control Unit (TBCU) noticed that the block number of the last patient was the same as the earlier cases.

A "genetic fingerprinting" carried out this month revealed that the six individuals were infected with the same MDRTB strain. Channel NewsAsia understands that all six are Singaporeans and range from their early 20s to 70 years old. Five of them are males.

MOH said they do not pose an ongoing public health risk as they are either receiving or have completed treatment. This means they can no longer spread the infection.

SPREAD OF CASES IS 'UNUSUAL'

The discovery of the infection has baffled TB experts here, as the transmission does not follow the usual pattern of spread.

Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, the Health Ministry's Director of Medical Services, said it is the first time experts here are seeing instances where they are unable to trace the link between the spread - authorities have not been able to find a common activity between the individuals in the different units who were subsequently diagnosed.

Assoc Prof Ong said: "Just being in the vicinity without close contact is not a known way in which TB spreads. When you find TB cases, you would look at where they may have potentially gotten it. We would go to the contacts within their home, workplace, social context and we have to depend on the recall that the individual has and in these cases, we were searching for the possible link to the index (first) case and his family. I believe the TBCU could not identify any obvious link from what they've done as well."

Assoc Prof Ong said providing free screening to the more than 350 residents in the block would not only act as a precautionary measure, but might lead to more evidence of a link between the infections.

MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS

MDRTB is transmitted the same way as the usual TB infection, in that it requires close and prolonged contact - hours, days or even weeks - with an infectious individual. This is partly the reason why experts say it is highly unlikely that the infection was transmitted within the common lift in the block.

Professor Sonny Wang, director of TTSH's Tuberculosis Control Unit, said that when infected with TB, individuals go through a stage of "latent infection". "It does not immediately manifest as active disease. This latent state can remain latent forever and in which case, there is no impact on the person's health or the health of people around him."

Prof Wang said only one in 10 people with a normal immune system will get active TB. The risk period also happens in subsequent years. "MDRTB behaves in exactly the same way. The only difference is that it is harder to treat because it is resistant to the two most important drugs which are used to treat TB. When you lose these two drugs, the effectiveness of TB treatment falls considerably. That's why you have to use so many other drugs for such a long time - 20 to 24 months."

MONITORING OTHER RESIDENTS

Prof Wang said while there is no cause for alarm, authorities want to ensure early action is taken for prompt diagnosis.

MOH is offering free screening, including at the void deck of Block 203, to detect any undiagnosed latent or active TB cases. It started spreading word of the screening among residents from Wednesday night. Children under the age of five have to be taken to the TBCU for a separate skin test.

MOH said it is working with relevant authorities to contact former residents, who lived in the block between July 2011 and May this year, to also get screened.

Residents who miss the on-site screening will be screened for free at any SATA clinic until the end of the month.

- CNA/mo


'High alert’ after 3rd case in same HDB block: Doctor who flagged TB cases
Dr Cynthia Chee from the Tuberculosis Control Unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital raised the alarm after tracing a series of cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis to a block in Ang Mo Kio, prompting the Health Ministry to offer free screenings for residents from the block.
Lee Li Ying, Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The doctor who first alerted the Ministry of Health to the unusual cluster of six multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) cases in a HDB block in Ang Mo Kio said the team at the Tuberculosis Control Unit (TBCU) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) had been on “high alert” after a case diagnosed in October 2015 raised warning signs.

Dr Cynthia Chee, senior consultant at TBCU, told Channel NewsAsia on Thursday (Jun 16) that after the third case in the same block of flats was diagnosed last year, her team looked at the data carefully and discovered that the patient shared the same block address as some other cases diagnosed a few years before.

"From that time, we were on very, very high alert for any subsequent cases of MDRTB should they come from this particular block," she explained.

“At that time, we were not clear as to the actual significance of this finding, but when the latest case surfaced in May, we decided we had to tell the Ministry of Health about it to see what more could be done,” added Dr Chee.

The alert prompted health authorities to offer free TB screenings to the block's residents as a precaution from Thursday until Sunday.

Earlier in the day, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Koh Poh Koon had called Dr Chee's connection of six MDRTB cases over four to five years a "very astute observation".

MDRTB is harder to treat than regular strands of TB because it is resistant to the two most important drugs typically used to treat TB. As such, other drugs have to be used to treat the patient over a longer period of time of about 20 months.

Less than 10 cases of MDRTB are diagnosed a year and, by law, the Singapore TB Elimination Program Registry under TBCU is notified of all TB cases. TBCU sees more than 80 per cent of TB cases in Singapore and all the MDRTB cases, it said.

“Because MDRTB is such a difficult condition to treat, and we do not want it to spread in Singapore, we are on very high alert every time there is a new case of MDRTB diagnosed,” said Dr Chee.

- CNA/mz


Residents of affected Ang Mo Kio block undergo tuberculosis screening
The Ministry of Health is providing the screening after six cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis cases were found at the block in Ang Mo Kio.
Justin Ong Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: Tuberculosis screening is being offered to residents of Block 203 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 after six cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) were found there.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Koh Poh Koon was on site on Thursday (Jun 16), speaking to residents to share information about TB. Dr Koh also applauded Dr Cynthia Chee, the clinician who first made the connection between the TB cases.

“All of us have seen many patients on a daily basis, and the amazing thing is how she connects six patients over a four to five year period... Many of us would link patients by name, maybe by surname or family name, but to link addresses over a period of four years I think is a very astute observation.”

Dr Koh noted that while the screening was not mandatory, he cautioned that it is “important for residents to understand the disease process of TB” and to visit a doctor should they experience symptoms such as having a cough or fever.

Dr Koh also said that grassroots volunteers and MOH officials posted pamphlets under the doors of those who had not been at home last night, and would continue to make visits over the next few nights.

“I guess there will be no way we can cover this one hundred percent because some might be overseas and some may not be home the time we visit. But we will make sure that the information is put under their door, so as and when they are home, they can read it at their leisure,” he said.

Residents Channel NewsAsia spoke seemed reassured that the necessary measures were being taken.

Odd job worker Mohamed Ali said: “I’m happy with what they are doing. We don’t have to wait for a long queue.”

Taxi driver Ani said that she would bring her four-year-old daughter to the hospital for a skin test as recommended by officials last night. While she was unconcerned for herself, she said: "I think it's best if we just stay at home and not go out at all.”

Retail assistant Sherry Ng, who also has a four-year-old son, said: "I know about the tuberculosis cases but I had no idea there was screening downstairs. But I'm definitely concerned and yes I will go for the screening. I may ask my mum and son to wear masks. For myself I'm not scared but I worry for my kid."

- CNA/ww


About 70 residents from affected Ang Mo Kio block screened for TB so far
The results from the on-site screening will be out within two weeks, added the ministry.
Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that about 70 residents and former residents of Block 203 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 had been screened on-site for tuberculosis (TB), as of 5pm on Thursday (Jun 16).

Results of the screening will be out within two weeks, said the ministry.

MOH added that its public health officers and grassroots leaders have engaged more than half of the households in the block by going door-to-door and we will continue to do so over the next few nights.

The screenings started Thursday morning after an unusual cluster of six multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) infections were detected at the block in Ang Mo Kio.

While the six no longer pose a health risk to the public, the free screening was provided to the more than 350 residents as a precautionary measure. They also might lead to more evidence of a link between the infections, said Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, the Health Ministry's Director of Medical Services.

According to Assoc Prof Ong, this is the first time experts in Singapore are seeing instances where they are unable to trace the link between the spread.

Dr Cynthia Chee, who first alerted the MOH to the unusual cluster, said the team at the Tuberculosis Control Unit (TBCU) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) had been on “high alert” after a case diagnosed in October 2015 raised warning signs.

The senior consultant at TBCU told Channel NewsAsia that after the third case in the same block of flats was diagnosed last year, her team looked at the data carefully and discovered that the patient shared the same block address as some other cases diagnosed a few years before.

Earlier in the day, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Koh Poh Koon applauded Dr Chee for making the connection between the six cases over a span of four to five years, calling it a "very astute observation".

MDRTB is harder to treat than regular strands of TB because it is resistant to the two most important drugs typically used to treat TB. As such, other drugs have to be used to treat the patient over a longer period of time of about 20 months.

- CNA/ek


Disease now rarely fatal, but cases on an uptick
KELLY NG Today Online 17 Jun 16;

Tuberculosis (TB) was recognised as a major public health problem in Singapore since the city’s founding in the 19th century, and was a major cause of death in the 1940s.

To help treat and stamp out the disease, the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association (Sata) was set up in 1947. A year later, the Tuberculosis Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) opened its doors.

The BCG vaccine for tuberculosis was introduced in the 1950s together with a mass vaccination campaign for newborns, which reduced deaths from TB among young children.

As hygiene and housing conditions improved in Singapore, the rate of occurrence of the disease fell significantly over the next three decades, from 307 cases per 100,000 population in 1960 to 56 cases per 100,000 in 1987.

It fell further to a low of 35 per 100,000 resident population in 2007, after the launch of the Singapore Tuberculosis Elimination Programme in 1997. The programme aims to eliminate TB here by diagnosing and treating all infectious cases, tracing and treating infected contacts, and preventing the emergence of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis.

The programme incorporated a national surveillance registry that tracks the treatment progress of each TB case until an outcome is achieved. The registry also alerts physicians if patients default on treatment or do not respond to treatment as expected.

In recent years, Singapore has witnessed a “resurgence” of the disease, with the incidence of TB per 100,000 population hovering between 36.9 and 41.5 since 2008. Three in 10 cases diagnosed in 2014 emerged in foreigners who live in Singapore.

This increase corresponds with the global rise of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), which cannot be treated with conventional first-line drugs.

Drug resistance may be due to inefficient treatment protocols and poor patient compliance.

In Singapore, 131 cases of MDR-TB (22 home-born, a term that refers to residents born in Singapore, and 109 foreign-born) were reported from 2010 to 2014 — up from 93 cases (14 home-born, 79 foreign-born) in the previous period from 2005 to 2009.

In March, a report from the Health Ministry showed that all nine cases diagnosed to date of extensively drug-resistant TB cases — a rare type of MDR-TB resistant to a wider range of first- and second-line drugs — were among foreigners who reside here.


Drug-resistant TB ‘takes longer to cure, poses more risk’
SIAU MING EN Today Online 16 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE — Compared with patients diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), those infected with the multi-drug-resistant strain of the disease will have to take more medicines a day, and the types of medication they consume also put them at risk of side effects such as kidney, liver or psychiatric problems.

Doctors TODAY spoke to also noted that patients diagnosed with such multi-drug-resistant strains will take more time to be completely cured. The doctors were commenting after the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday that there was an unusual cluster of six multi-drug resistant TB cases at a public housing block on Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.

The inappropriate treatment of TB and patients’ poor adherence to the treatment increases the likelihood that drug-resistant strains will develop. The use of antibiotics has also led to the rise of such strains 
of the disease.

But these strains remain in the minority: Of the 1,498 new TB cases among Singapore residents, less than 1 per cent were multi-drug-resistant.

Dr Ong Kian Chung, a respiratory specialist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said that while a normal TB patient will have to take three to four types of medication each day, those with drug-resistant strain of TB will have to take more, about four to six types of medication each day.

He added that the treatment for patients diagnosed with the drug-resistant strain also varies widely, depending on the number of drugs the patient is resistant to and the patient’s tolerance for certain types of medication.

These patients tend to experience more side effects as they are taking second- or third-line medication, which are “less tolerable” and could result in kidney, liver, neurological or psychiatric problems.

The full treatment for normal TB patients takes about six to nine months, while those with the multi-drug-resistant strains will need between 20 to 24 months to recover, noted the MOH on Wednesday. With a longer treatment period, there is a higher chance of developing complications during the process, 
added Dr Ong.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, said those with TB and the multi-drug-resistant strain will no longer become infectious after two weeks of treatment. On the effectiveness of BCG vaccinations, he noted that they may only work against two rare forms of TB — TB in the brain and in the blood.

To date, there are no effective vaccinations against TB in the lungs, added Dr Leong.

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Singapore ranks 2nd among global cities for green buildings

Nur Sabrina Azmi, The Straits Times AsiaOne 15 Jun 16;

PARIS, Singapore and London hold the top three spots in a ranking of global cities for green buildings in a recent White Paper published by management consultancy firm Solidiance.

The White Paper aimed to assess and compare the performance of top 10 global cities in relation to green buildings.

According to Solidiance, Green buildings are one of the most important elements in the discussion of sustainable development.

Accounting for more than 40 per cent of energy use and responsible for an estimated 30 per cent of city-wide emissions, buildings make up the largest energy-consuming sector worldwide.

The global cities are assessed for their green building performance across four categories: city-wide green building landscape, building efficiency and performance, green building policies and targets and, green city culture and environment.

Paris and Singapore took the top spots by excelling in all four assessments.

According to the White Paper, they were the only two cities that ranked within top five in every category.

Singapore stood out as a forerunner by topping the category of green building policies and targets.

The city aims to green 80 per cent of its built-stock by 2030.

Amendments in the city-state's Building Control Act in 2008 also requires all new buildings and existing ones to undergo major retrofitting to achieve, at the minimum, a certified rating under the Green Mark Scheme, Singapore's green building certification scheme.

By 2014, more than 25 per cent of the city's entire built-stock were green buildings.

CEO of World Green Building Council, United Kingdom, Terri Willis said: "Singapore can certainly be considered a leader in the field of green building. The city target for 80 per cent of buildings to achieve BCA Green Mark standards by 2030 is ambitious but achievable, and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) will play a key role in delivering this."

London, however, takes the lead under the category of green building landscape by achieving the highest number of green buildings.

68 per cent of buildings in London are green buildings, which can be linked to the fact that the United Kingdom was the first country to introduce a green building certification system.

Paris and Singapore rank closely behind with 64 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

Paris, Sydney and Singapore were on top of the list when it came to the overall performance and efficiency of its green buildings.

Paris came up on top for its low percentage of carbon emissions, which is attributable to the city's built environment.

The level of energy used in buildings in Paris and Singapore were amongst the lowest in the list, reflective of the cities' level of eco-consciousness.

Their efficiency is evidence that both local and international building certifications set a strong benchmark for green building performance.

Singapore comes in fourth, closely behind Sydney, Paris and New York for the assessment of a green city's culture and environment.

While each global city has adopted their own set of policies and regulations to combat climate change, some have performed better.

For example, New York performed particularly well in renewable energy consumption, standing in first place.

The rankings include newcomers Beijing, Dubai and Shanghai, that have joined the green building movement in 2010.

Despite their lagging behind in certain categories, the rankings should see changes in the future as these newer "green building cities" set ambitious targets to catch up to other cities' levels.

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Malaysia: Upgraded air and water monitoring stations will detect fine particles, oil spills

The Star 16 Jun 16;

PUTRAJAYA: More monitoring stations that can measure very fine particles and marine and water quality will be built throughout the country starting next year.

The new and upgraded air pollutant index (API) stations will be able to measure fine particles that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and that can only be seen with an electron microscope.

The new water monitoring stations can detect real-time oil spills.

Natural Resources and Environ-ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said these were made possible under a RM855mil concession agreement for an environmental quality monitoring programme signed between the ministry and Pakar Scieno TW Sdn Bhd.

He said the measurement of API would be improved following calls by the public, adding that the new calculation would be similar to the one used by Singapore, where the measurement of fine particles (PM2.5) has been included since 2014.

“The environmental quality monitoring programme will provide authorities with real-time information on the quality of air and water in the sea and rivers.

“It acts as an early-warning system that allows quick and proactive action be taken should there be haze, oil spills, industrial disasters and illegal dumping of toxic wastes,” he said.

Information collected via the programme would also be used to formulate future policies and in decision making where the environment and people’s well-being were concerned, said Dr Wan Junaidi when witnessing the signing of the agreement.

Under the agreement, there will be 82 stations set up to monitor air quality nationwide, 1,387 stations specifically to check water quality in rivers and another 405 stations to monitor marine water.

The concession will also see an environmental data centre for forecasting, geospatial mapping and live video streaming being set up to allow the Department of Environ-ment and ministry to take mitigating measures in the event of water or air pollution.

Dr Wan Junaidi said the programme would start next year as the concessionaire needed time to install new stations, take over existing ones and recalibrate the machines to meet the ministry’s requirements.


Environmental quality monitoring programme to be implemented early next year
BERNAMA New Straits Times 15 Jun 16;

PUTRAJAYA: The Environmental Quality Monitoring Programme (EQMP) aimed at improving the existing environmental quality monitoring system will be implemented early next year.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said EQMP, which would be implemented through a concession agreement with Scieno TW Sdn Bhd encompasses data collection for the purpose of air, river and marine monitoring as well as setting up an Environmental Data Centre (EDC).

“EDC is located at the Department of Environment headquarters and will serve as a platform to analyse air, river and marine data obtained from environmental quality stations nationwide before being channeled to end users on a real time basis,” he told a press conference here today.

Wan Junaidi said EQMP would be implemented by Scieno TW for a period of 14 and a half years involving a cost of RM855 million.

He said the concession agreement was also signed as part of measures to improve the existing programme with regard to the country’s development and current needs.

“The data transmission period of the programme will only take 10 minutes compared to 45 minutes previously,” he said.

He said besides providing information on the current status of the country’s air, river and marine quality, the programme could also be used as an early-warning system.

“EQMP will also help in developing policies and assist in making decisions for the welfare of the people and the country through the provision of enforcement activities, inputs and planning of development projects,” he said. --BERNAMA

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