PM Lee launches SGfuture engagement series

The initiative is led by ministers Chan Chun Sing and Grace Fu and builds on the Our Singapore Conversation completed two years ago.
Justin Ong Channel NewsAsia 29 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 29) announced the launch of the SGfuture engagement series, two years after the conclusion of Our Singapore Conversation, the largest feedback-gathering exercise in the nation’s history.

The SGfuture project will be led by ministers Grace Fu and Chan Chun Sing and builds on the Our Singapore Conversation, which involved more than 660 dialogue sessions where Singaporeans discussed their views on Government policies.

Making the announcement at the opening of the Future of Us exhibition, Mr Lee said he hoped Singaporeans will help shape their collective future through the engagement series.

"I hope you will step forward to work with fellow Singaporeans to shape our future – the Future of Us," said Mr Lee. "So that by SG 100, we will have another celebration as happy and satisfying as this."

He added: "And 50 years from now, our children can come back and tell their grandchildren: It was here they caught a glimpse of what they could create for the future, and we were moved to turn dreams into reality and to write the next chapter of the Singapore story, and that is why after SG 50, Singapore continued to be an endearing and shining little red dot for many more years to come."

Mr Lee then toured the exhibition, which serves as the last major event to round up the SG50 year of celebrations.

The Future of Us exhibition invites visitors to glimpse the possible future scenarios in Singapore in the year 2030, and encourages Singaporeans to explore their role in shaping a collective future.

- CNA/cy

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Extension of Zhenghua Nature Park officially opened

The extension is also part of the National Parks Board's efforts to expand the green buffer of Singapore's nature reserves, as well as make parks more attractive to biodiversity.
Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia 29 Nov 15

SINGAPORE: A 3.8-hectare extension of Zhenghua Nature Park in Bukit Panjang has officially been opened.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee graced the event on Saturday (Nov 28) and planted a tree to mark the occasion.

Besides providing more amenities to park-goers, the extension is also part of the National Parks Board's (NParks) efforts to expand the green buffer of Singapore's nature reserves, as well as make parks more attractive to biodiversity.

For example, at the Zhenghua Nature Park Extension, NParks has planted more than 30 species of plants, including those that produce fleshy fruits, to attract various types of birds. To date, 16 species of birds have been sighted in the new extension.

Moving forward, such habitat enhancement work will be extended to 18 other parks - including East Coast Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

Mr Lee said: "Under our Nature Conservation Masterplan, NParks has also been carrying out habitat enhancement efforts in parks all across the island to support biodiversity conservation efforts. These include the strategic planting of native species to restore the forest habitat, as well as planting a diverse species of plants.

“These efforts have paid off as we are seeing greater variety of birds, insects and butterflies in our parks, right in the middle of a bustling city. So, if we keep our eyes opened, our ears peeled, we can see a side of Singapore that we seldom see right in the heart of our city.”

- CNA/xk

New extension to Zhenghua Nature Park opened
AsiaOne 29 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE - The new 3.8 hectare extension to the Zhenghua Nature Park near Bukit Panjang New Town was opened on Saturday.

The new extension's amenities include outdoor fitness equipment and public toilets.

The development of the extension is part of efforts by the National Parks Board (NParks) to enhance habitats in parks.

The Nature Park's extension will open up opportunities for the community to cultivate a greater appreciation of our biodiversity, NParks said.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee planted a Jelutong tree at the park to mark the opening of the extension on Saturday.

He said: "Together with Springleaf Nature Park, Zhenghua Nature Park serves as a green buffer for the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and forms part of an islandwide ecological network for biodiversity."

"Under the Nature Conservation Masterplan, NParks has also been carrying out habitat enhancement efforts in parks across the island to support biodiversity conservation efforts. Our future generations of Singaporeans need to understand the value of conserving our natural biodiversity. I hope that with our habitat enhancement efforts, these green spaces will become outdoor classrooms for our students to observe the various plant and animal species and gain deeper knowledge of them," Mr Lee added.

Like other nature parks, Zhenghua Nature Park will help to reduce visitorship pressure on the nature reserves by providing alternative venues for the public to enjoy nature-related activities, NParks said in a statement.

NParks also said: "Zhenghua Nature Park skirts the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and forms a green buffer for the reserve. By forming a vital ecological linkage between nature reserves and forested areas in the west like the Western Catchment, it facilitates the safe passage of fauna among green spaces. Such buffers thus function as extensions of the Reserve."

According to the authority, there are about 37 species of birds at Zhenghua Nature Park. Besides birds such as the Olive-backed Sunbird, Flameback Woodpecker and Pink-necked Green Pigeon which are often spotted in parks and gardens, birds which are typically found in forests have also been sighted like the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and Long-tailed Parakeet. The nature park is also a stopover for migratory birds like the Arctic Warbler.

Sixteen species of birds have been seen at the extension since May this year when habitat enhancements first began, including the Blue-throated bee-eater and the Oriental Dollarbird, both of which are forest-edge species.

More than 30 species of plants were added to the park's extension including bird attracting species like Tembusu, Syzigium polyanthum, Ficus microcarpa, Leea indica, Rhodomrytus tomentosa and Ixora javanica.

With the extension, the total area of Zhenghua Nature Park is brought to 17.3 hectares.

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Malaysia: Preparing for floods is more than just putting the TV up on a high shelf

SHAHANAAZ HABIB The Star 29 Nov 15;

Preparing for floods is more than just putting the TV up on a high shelf. It’s also about learning to be resilient enough to get back to normal as soon as possible after an emergency.

AZMI Seman’s T-shirt says it all: “Kalau Bukan Kita, Siapa Lagi?”, which translates as “If Not Us, Then Who?”

The 49-year-old from Kampong Laloh in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, knows what it is like for villagers to have to rely on each other.

Last December, flood water rose to dizzying heights in Kampong Laloh, sweeping away houses, vehicles and motorbikes, and it was tough getting any help in.

Azmi was one of the “heroes” in his village who went around helping people to safety.

He says up till last year, villagers used to think of floods as something normal, a pesta air (water festival) of sorts even.

But after last year’s experience, when water rose to historic levels, they are a lot more wary.

It has been almost a year but it is still fresh in the minds of Azmi and the other villagers how dire the ­situation became and how desperate the 2,000 villagers were, huddled together on the top floor of the village school, hungry and afraid, as the water continued to rise around the building.

“We were unprepared because we have never had this type of flooding here before,” says Azmi, during a break at the Mercy Malaysia-organised Disaster Risk Reduction workshop in his kampung that aims to build resilience and community preparedness.

The workshop is very practical and encourages the villagers themselves to brainstorm and come up with ideas and solutions.

Experiential learning

The first session had villagers sharing stories of their flood experience and those they have heard from their parents, grandparents, and others about the four major floods – in the years 1926, 1967, 2004 and 2014 – in Kelantan.

In another session, villagers divided themselves up into teams, with each team having to list down in different categories all the people and organisations that helped them “before, during, and after” the floods.

“These details, including the contact numbers, will be compiled and given to the villagers so that they know exactly where and whom to reach out to for help should there be another emergency.

“Having such information in their hands is empowering,” says Mercy Malaysia’s (non-medical) vice-president Nor Azam Abu Samah, who is in Kampong Laloh for the workshop.

As part of their training exercise, villagers set out in teams on a recce to identify and pick a number of high ground areas in their village that could be potential evacuation sites if it floods again, and where they could go should the water rise even higher this time than last year.

One of the areas they picked was the village cemetery!

At each of these areas, they identified strengths and weaknesses.

They looked at weaknesses such as having no access road in, the land belonging to someone else or that the land is planted with rubber trees; the villagers then tried to figure out solutions themselves, be it to meet with the land owner to get permission to use the land during an emergency or to think of making a dirt road or track to access the currently inaccessible area.

They scouted areas that could be cleared for a helipad so that helicopters could bring in much needed supplies if the situation continued longer than expected.

Nor Azam says this form of experiential learning, where villagers assess for themselves the strengths and vulnerabilities of their village, gets the villagers directly involved in planning and preparing for themselves.

“It is not rocket science. But if it is not done like this, they probably will not get to feel it. This way, they will be more confident because they can see it for themselves. It is not just in theory.

“After all, the villagers are the ones who are most familiar with their area, and they know where the biggest risks are and where the safest places are,” he says.

The villagers are also given a simulation exercise in which an announcement from the meteorological department says there will be heavy rains in 23 days, giving the villagers 15 minutes to decide how to prepare for what is to come. But before their 15 minutes is up, the scenario changes drastically, and they are told it is already raining and they have to evacuate.

So there and then, they have to think on their feet and plan.

Then each of the teams presents its plans, following which, the villagers have to decide on priorities, what they think should be step one, two, three and so on, for their preparations.

At the end of it, their actions are evaluated and they’re told how they can improve.

The training also makes them very aware of the importance of having a “grab bag” ready so that when they evacuate, they will have basic supplies with them, such as easy-to-eat food, water, and essentials that would keep them going for a few days if they are stranded without supplies.

Nor Azam also says villagers should protect important documents in a plastic bag so that they aren’t damaged by the water when they take them along when they evacuate.

And he recommends that people in flood-prone areas should keep a supply of plastic bags on hand.

“They can put clothes in plastic bags and put them in their cupboards if they have to evacuate, so that when they come home after the floods, it is very possible that the clothes will still be dry and clean.”

In Kampong Tualang, which Mercy Malaysia also helped train, he says villagers have already put their TV sets up at an elevated level in their homes.

“They said it’s okay not to watch TV for the next month or two as long as they won’t have to buy a new TV again after the floods,” he says.

Training local heroes

During the training, villagers will also set up their own Flood Response Committee. They will pick a chairman, deputy and committee members, and then decide who heads the logistics planning, who is in charge of shelter, who takes charge of preparing food for the evacuees, etc.

Nor Azam says shortly after completing the training, Mercy Malaysia will meet with the Flood Response Committee to find out what the village needs.

“We have allocated RM50,000 for them to decide what they need to buy. We have already done this training in three other villages in Kelantan – and villagers mostly ask for boats!

“We let them do the planning themselves because it helps the community bond and take charge. Assuming a leadership role also helps build resilience in the village.

“Previously it was up to individuals to decide what to do and where to go if it floods. Some would go to a relative’s house or a friend’s, etc, but now they will have a community response.

“People will care and look out for each other. They know those staying near the river are most vulnerable when it floods, so they will get them out first,” he says.

Nor Azam says there were actual­ly many kampung heroes during the last flood. But many of these stories did not get told because the flood was so extensive and overwhelming.

“There were 300,000 evacuees but official reports show there were only four deaths. Compare this with the tsunami (of 2004) where over 146,000 died. How come the number of deaths from last year’s flood is so low? It is because the ones who were the first respondents and who saved lives were the kampung folks themselves. They were the heroes,” he says.

Mercy Malaysia gives reflective vests, hygiene kits and 10 walkie-­talkies to every village they train so that the community is able to better respond and manage the situation during natural disasters and emergencies like floods.

Kampong Laloh, though, has an extra edge.

Last month, nine of their village heroes were taken to Tanjung Malim, Perak, by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris where they were trained at the rapids in Sungai Sungkai how to handle a boat in fast-moving water, how to free themselves if they get sucked into a whirlpool, and how to lift people into the boat.

Azmi was one of the villagers who went for the training, and he says that when the group came back, its members trained others in the village. Now, they have set up their own village rescue team of 30 people.

Building resilience

As for Mercy Malaysia, they have ambitious plans.

Nor Azam says their target for next year is to hold disaster risk reduction training sessions in 60 kampungs in six different states: Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sabah, Sarawak and Selangor.

Not only that, the organisation also goes into schools and work with students to teach them to take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

Nor Azam says Mercy Malaysia is also training hospitals to be resi­lient and hopes to train at least three hospitals in each state.

The private sector too plays a big role in helping victims, he says, but “the thing is they don’t get much coverage compared to politicians who come bringing the press and cameramen”.

For him, for risk reduction to be sustainable, every segment of socie­ty needs to be involved, from government agencies, the private sector and institutions of higher learning to civil society, community-based organisations, and the general public.

The United Nation’s Office for Disaster Risk Reduction is running a campaign for resilient cities where whatever shock or stresses come up – be they natural disasters, disease outbreaks or terrorists attack – the city and its systems, businesses, institutions and community are able to survive, adapt quickly and bounce back.

Nor Azam hopes that cities in Malaysia will ready themselves that way and join the club of resi­lient cities.


Residents undergo training and set up their flood emergency team
SHAHANAAZ HABIB The Star 29 Nov 15;

KUALA KRAI: When people go through a devastating experience like a massive flood that leaves them trapped, frightened and hungry for days, sometimes, something positive emerges as a result.

Villagers in Kampung Laloh in Kuala Krai have come together and set up their own rescue team comprising 30 villagers.

They have two new 14-foot boats (in addition to the three small personal boats owned by villagers) and 30 life jackets for rescue missions.

Team members have been trained on how to manoeuvre a boat during strong currents and rescue people from the water.

They have also been given basic emergency first aid skills.

For the coming flood season, they are readying “grab bags” with easy-to-eat food and essential supplies that will last them a few days.

They have put in place their own kampung-style early warning system to inform villagers to evacuate if it starts to flood, and where to go.

Last December, most of Kampung Laloh was under floodwaters.

Their usual evacuation centres got flooded and panicky villagers needed to be evacuated again.

In the end, almost all of the 2,000 villagers were crammed into one school.

Of the 530 houses in the village, 433 were either damaged or washed away. Some 150 cars and 300 motorbikes were wrecked, too.

Now, thanks to practical training and resources from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Mercy Malaysia to build resilience and preparedness in local communities, the villagers have boats, walkie talkies, “grab bags” and more importantly, survival skills.

Between Oct 15 and 18, nine kampung heroes from Kampung Laloh and 21 others from nearby Kampung Manjur, Kampung Pemberian and Kampung Karangan were brought to Tanjung Malim by UPSI for training.

“We took them whitewater rafting at the rapids in Sungai Sungkai.

“We made them jump into the water so that they know what it is like to be in swirling strong waters and we trained them on how to save themselves and how to rescue people,” said Mohamad Hairi Abu Hasan, who is one of the trainers from UPSI.

UPSI director Dr Mastura Muhammad said the villagers also learnt how to treat minor injuries.

The nine villagers from Kampung Laloh then returned to their village and passed their knowledge on to another 21 fellow residents.

Kampung Laloh Rescue Team chairman Nazari Jusoh said they had a simulation training on Nov 14 in a river on how to save people who were floating away and how to lift people onto the boat.

“We’ve adapted what we learnt to suit our kampung. We use a sarong to carry the injured onto the boat,” said Nazari, 41.

Last weekend, Mercy Malaysia was at Kampung Laloh to conduct a Disaster Risk Reduction workshop.

“Villagers are the first responders in any emergency. So, what we are doing is to build resilience and preparedness within the community itself so that they can help themselves first,” said Mercy Malaysia’s (non-medical) vice-president Nor Azam Abu Samah.

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Malaysia: We need to increase our food production -- Prime Minister

The Star 29 Nov 15;

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Malaysia needs to increase its food production as the country is importing more than it produces, says the Prime Minister.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia was facing a deficit of RM17bil a year in food production.

“In other words, we import more food than we export by RM17bil. Imagine what will happen if far­mers stop planting padi or fishermen stop going out to sea.

“The contribution of farmers and fishermen to our food security is therefore very significant. It would not be wrong to see them as the heroes of the nation,” he said when launching Farmers, Fishermen and Livestock Breeders’ Day yesterday.

Najib noted that food security was a major challenge faced not only by Malaysia but the world.

He said a report by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Orga­nisation (FAO) showed that global population was expected to reach 9.6 billion people by 2050 from the current 7.2 billion.

“If the level of food production is not increased by 60% of its current production, the world will face a famine. Even now, 800 million people in the world go to bed hungry.

“I consider food security a major challenge that needs to be addressed, apart from terrorism, extremism and climate change.”

Najib called on farmers to utilise technology in increasing their production and transforming the sector to a dynamic, innovative and competitive industry.

“We have to change and learn from how a small country like the Netherlands, for example, can export agriculture products to the world.”

He said the Government had allocated RM5.3bil in Budget 2016 for the agriculture sector.

Among others, it will set up 50 more farmers’ markets and 100 agro bazaars next year.

Other incentives include RM70mil to provide subsidy on fertilisers and pesticides for hill padi farmers in Sarawak.

Najib said Sarawak should expand its specialty products such as Bario rice and the prized empurau fish.

He also said he had allocated funds for research on breeding empurau, which could fetch about RM500 per kg.


Najib: 150 farmers' markets and agro bazaars to be set up in 2016
SHARON LING and YU JI The Star 28 Nov 15;

KOTA SAMARAHAN: A total of 150 farmers' markets and agro bazaars are to be set up in 2016, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib announced plans to set up 50 more farmers' markets and 100 agro bazaars next year, including four farmers' markets and 10 agro bazaars in Sarawak, saying that food security is a major challenge faced by the world.

"If the level of food production is not increased by 60%, the world will face a famine.

Even now about 800 million people in the world go to bed hungry," he said at the Farmers, Fishermen and Livestock Breeders Day here on Saturday.

As such, Najib said he considered food security a challenge that needed to be given serious attention, adding that Malaysia should increase its food production to reduce the existing deficit of RM17bil a year.

Najib said that the Government had allocated RM5.3bil for agriculture in Budget 2016.

"We want the agriculture sector to achieve a growth rate of 3.5% and contribute 7% to GDP by 2020," he added.

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Malaysia committed to cutting CO2 emissions intensity of its GDP by 40 per cent by 2020

Malaysia says it will submit a plan with specific targets to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before the Paris conference next week.
Melissa Goh, Malaysia Bureau Chief, Channel NewsAsia 28 Nov 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Minister of National Resources and Environment Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the country is committed to cutting the carbon emissions intensity of its GDP by 40 per cent by the year 2020.

The minister also said Kuala Lumpur will submit its game plan with specific targets to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before the Paris conference next week.

More than 160 countries have already submitted their plans on the actions they will take for a low-carbon, climate-resilient future, ahead of the UN Climate Conference in Paris, where an ambitious plan to tackle climate change will be negotiated.

Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, Minister Wan Junaidi said he will be presenting Malaysia's game plan on climate change in early December. A key point in the plan is the pledge to conserve the Malaysian rainforest, which is one of the oldest in the world.

"We are going to conserve millions of hectares of land across Borneo from the Indonesian border to Sarawak and from across Brunei to Sabah,” said Mr Wan Junaidi.

Measures will be put in place for this to happen. Under a new bio-diversity policy, existing laws will be tightened to curb illegal logging. Tougher penalties too, have been proposed.

Carbon dioxide emissions is another area to be tackled. Car ownership in Malaysia is the third highest in the world at a whopping 93 per cent with 54 per cent of households having more than one car.

To cut greenhouse gas emissions, Malaysia is phasing out Ron 95, which is a lower grade petrol but widely used by motorists here because it is much cheaper than the higher-grade Ron 97. Ron 97 also carries a Euro 4 standard, which means reduced emissions.

"Ron 97 is already Euro 4, but Ron 95 is still Euro 2, and so we are determined that by 2018, that we will introduce Euro 4 for both,” said Mr Wan Junaidi.

But critics say the government needs to do more to improve the energy mix in its power supply. Malaysia still relies heavily on coal, with renewable sources accounting for less than 3 per cent.

"The devil is in the details, so for example one of main areas of generation of greenhouse gases in any country would be how we generate power,” said Ong Kian Meng, Member of Parliament for Seri Kembangan. “By 2023, 65 per cent of our power in Peninsular Malaysia will be from coal-fired plants, up from 48 per cent in 2015 - so we’ll have more coal-fired generation, plants which will emit more CO2 into the atmosphere."

This reliance on coal, he added, runs contrary to US President Barack Obama message on climate change, while he was in Malaysia recently for the ASEAN and related summits.

"The key is to make sure everybody is doing their part, what we all agreed is a finance mechanism to help these countries leapfrog old technology so instead of building old dirty power plants, here is some smart clean energy plants, and we'll help you through technology transfer and financing so that you can achieve your development goals but not add to the carbon problem,” said President Obama.

The issue is how development and environmentally friendly practices can co-exist. Next year, Malaysia is chasing economic growth of between 4 and 5 per cent. It is confident however that growth will not hinder its ability to meet emission reduction targets.

Kuala Lumpur is also set to launch its mass rapid transit system in 2016 and it hopes that this, and the expansion of the city's light rail system, will encourage Malaysians to use public transport and leave their vehicles at home.

- CNA/rw

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Indonesia: President encourages people to eat locally grown fruit

thejakartapost.com 28 Nov 15;

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urged people to participate in a movement to boost local fruit consumption to lower import needs.

Jokowi made the remarks while officiating the opening of the Archipelago Fruit and Flower Festival in Bogor on Saturday.

"We must boost production and at the same time, there must be campaign to consume local fruits. It takes a revolutionary movement to increase the production and quality of local fruit and flowers," he said in a press statement.

Jokowi said that the promotion must start with educating the youth on locally grown fruits, which would gradually increase the consumption of fruit in households.

Such a movement would not only beneficial for people's health but fruit growers as well.

Jokowi said in his speech that when visiting Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, he went to a hypermarket with more than 180 chains across the globe.

He was impressed that the fruits from Indonesia were nicely packaged and priced competitively. They were also put on displays which he said, escalated the image of Indonesia's fruits.

The hypermarket sold mangoes from Cirebon, pineapple from Lampung, watermelon from Sragen, papaya from Boyolali and mangoosteen from West Java.

"Imported goods must be replaced with domestic products to improve our trade balance," he said as quoted by kompas.com.

In order to reach the goal, Jokowi asked district chiefs to prepare five to 50 hectares of land in every district to produce fruit and flowers to meet the domestic demand. The government also asked state-owned plantation company PTPN to start considering the fruit business and to prepare 10,000 hectares of land to produce fruits.

"We have always planted rubber, coffee, palm and tea, but no one really thought about fruits," he said.

At the event, Jokowi also called on the Bogor Institute of Agriculture to hold bigger fruit and flowers festivals to attract international buyers next year. (rin)

- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/11/28/jokowi-encourages-people-eat-locally-grown-fruit.html-0#sthash.KmZANUHu.dpuf

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Vietnam: Mangrove forests protect Mekong crops

Vietnam News 28 Nov 15;

KIEN GIANG (VNS) — Crops and farms would be protected by a mass of mangrove forests in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces, thanks to a restoration project.

The region is home of millions people and is the country's most important agricultural region, but climate change is leading the rising sea levels, and some areas of the coast are already being eroded.

The mangrove forests along the coast, which protect the hinterland from floods and storms, are in dramatic decline.

A project under the Integrated Coastal Management Programme, co-funded by Germany and Australia, which was implemented in Hon Dat District's Vam Ray hamlet, first gained success in Kien Giang province.

The project has worked with the local community and relevant authorities to establish a coastal protection model in Hon Dat District.

It has helped farmers here to make plans to adapt to climate change, including activities such as mangrove rehabilitation and coastal forest protection measures, promotion of alternative income opportunities for communities dependent on coastal forests and improved dyke construction and management.

Huynh Huu To, one of the project's staff, said technical staff supported farmers in applying new techniques in restoring mangrove to prevent erosion.

"In the six years since 2009, in implementing the pilot project, such forests provide the best protection against floods and storms," To said.

To added that the cost for building a dyke to prevent waves reached VND30 billion (US$1.3 million) per kilometre, but it is often destroyed yearly.

The provincial authorities also urged residents to plant forests in previous years, but failed to prevent saline water from spreading, he said.

"In previous years, many local residents gave up their farms to find another job or work for other region's farms because plants and fisheries could not live in saline water," Tong Van Anh, a local resident said.

"Dykes are breached each year with the saltwater intrusion, destroying crops and fish production", Anh said.

But now the coastal dyke is no longer directly affected by waves, he said.

"Income from fisheries is not high yet but the benefits which come from mangrove forests have been recognised by local residents here", said Nguyen Tin, deputy director of Hon Dat forest management department.

In 2014, her family had invested capital from a loan from a women's association to build ponds for fish farming, and benefited from it, Anh's wife said.

Mangroves had helped to safeguard several kilometres of sea dykes, houses, roads and agriculture lands and residents could keep their mind on their work, said Tin.

The project had addressed ways to improve the production and even led to their expansion, Tin said.

Mangrove forests play a vital role in the mitigation of threats presented by climate change, and in particular sea level rise and storm surge.

Local communities have also become increasingly aware of the great risks involved, according to Tin.

Under the programme, the province will further implement planting mangrove forests in An Bien and An Minh districts. — VNS

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Climate agreement must recognise nature’s solutions – IUCN

IUCN International news release 28 Nov 15;

Ahead of the UN climate conference, IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature – is calling for an agreement that recognises the role of nature in reducing carbon emissions and helping nations adapt to a changing climate.

While biodiversity and ecosystems are threatened by climate change, their conservation, restoration and sustainable management generate significant and practical nature-based solutions to climate change.

“As we desperately strive to find a viable response to climate change, we tend to overlook the fact that healthy nature can be a goldmine of cost-effective solutions to this challenge,” says Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General. “Far from being merely a victim of climate change, healthy ecosystems can be a powerful ally, boosting our climate resilience, and helping us adapt to and mitigate the effects of a changing climate.

“Investing in nature-based solutions must be at the core of our fight against climate change, which is one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced.”

Natural ecosystems such as forests, river basins and wetlands absorb and store carbon. Terrestrial ecosystems store almost three times the amount of carbon found in the atmosphere while healthy oceans absorb over 25% of annual carbon dioxide emissions.

Conserving, restoring and sustainably managing these ecosystems can generate nature-based solutions to climate change while providing other important economic, social and environmental benefits. Healthy ecosystems provide food and clean water and protect vulnerable communities against climate-related disasters. In the United States, for example, coastal wetlands offer US$ 23 billion worth of storm protection each year.

IUCN urges governments to adopt an agreement that is comprehensive in its coverage of greenhouse gas sources and sinks, that maintains the highest possible level of environmental integrity, respects gender equality and human rights, and catalyses more ambitious action on climate change by all actors across all sectors, particularly from the business community.

IUCN stresses the need to boost efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to invest in renewable technologies – including research and development – to decarbonise energy systems. It also emphasises the urgency to expand the use of renewable and other low-carbon sources of energy in a manner that improves human and ecosystem well-being.

Watch our video which explaines nature-based solutions to climate change.

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Thousands join climate change marches across Asia

About 3,000 people marched through Manila demanding curbs on emissions to mute the impact of climate change, which is blamed for a spike in disastrous extreme weather.
Channel NewsAsia 28 Nov 15;

MANILA: Thousands turned out for climate change marches across the Asia-Pacific region on Saturday (Nov 28), as part of a weekend of action across the globe to demand results from next week's historic Paris summit.

Rallies in Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines illustrated the broad array of concerns over the impact of climate change, from calls for renewable energy to the plight of Pacific islanders as sea levels rise.

About 3,000 people including religious clergy, students and activists marched through the Philippine capital of Manila demanding curbs on emissions to mute the impact of climate change, which is blamed for a spike in disastrous extreme weather.

"Protect our common home," and "climate justice," were written on the placards held aloft by the surging crowd. "We want to send a message to the rest of the world, especially the world leaders at the climate talks, to say that our survival is not negotiable," said Denise Fontanilla, spokeswoman for the Asian People's Movement on Debt and Development.

Under tight security two weeks after France's worst terror attack, about 150 heads of state and government will on Monday launch a highly anticipated UN conference tasked with inking a post-2020 195-nation climate rescue pact.

In Australia, where Melbourne on Friday kicked off the weekend rallies, some 5,000 people gathered in the northeastern city of Brisbane for a march led by Aboriginal and Pacific islander representatives and youth groups.

Senator Larissa Waters from the Greens party said the turnout, after tens of thousands marched in Melbourne, also showed the strength of opposition to plans to develop more of Australia's vast coal deposits.

"They don't want new coal mines, they don't want massive land clearing, they actually want the environmental protection and job opportunities that comes from embracing clean energy," Waters told national television.

Thousands also rallied across New Zealand, in the main city of Auckland and at the parliament in Wellington. Speaking outside parliament, Anglican bishop Justin Duckworth said all citizens had a responsibility to protect the planet.

"I don't want my future generation to clean up my mess. It is my responsibility," he said according to the NZ Herald.

Around 300 people gathered in Tokyo for a rally urging the adoption of clean, renewable energy - a call that has grown since a tsunami swamped the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, sending three reactors into meltdown.

"Japan must take the lead in the summit to promote renewable energy because Japan is a rare country that has experienced such a big disaster," rally organiser Daigo Ichikawa told AFP.

And in Bangladesh, more than 5,000 people took part in climate marches across 30 different locations in the impoverished country which is exposed to rising seas, superstorms and expanding deserts.

HUMAN CHAIN IN PARIS

Organisers in Paris were expecting hundreds of thousands to take to the streets Saturday in Asian cities along with Johannesburg and Edinburgh, while similar events were set for Sunday in Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, New York and Mexico City.

In Paris, French authorities cancelled two rallies following the onslaught by gunmen and suicide bombers which killed 130 people at restaurant terraces, a concert hall and the national stadium on November 13.

Activists now plan to create a two-kilometre human chain along the original march route on Sunday. They will break the chain as they pass the Bataclan concert hall, where the worst violence claimed 90 lives, as a mark of respect to the victims.

The goal of the Paris talks is to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change. This week, the UN's weather body said the average global temperature for the year 2015 is set to touch the halfway mark at 1°C.

The Paris conference will gather approximately 40,000 people, including 10,000 delegates from 195 countries, plus journalists, observers, scientists, exhibitors and visitors.

- AFP/xk

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Best of our wild blogs: 28 Nov 15

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Bacteria outbreak: Stalls told to stop selling Chinese-style raw-fish dishes

LAURA ELIZABETH PHILOMIN Today Online 28 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE — Food stalls here have been ordered to stop selling Chinese-style raw-fish dishes until they can comply with stipulated guidelines, after investigations by the Ministry of Health (MOH) found a definite link between eating these dishes and Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, which can potentially cause permanent disability and even death in severe cases.

To date, two persons have died from GBS infections this year, said MOH today (Nov 27), without providing details. One of the cases was not linked to the ongoing outbreak, and the other is being investigated.

MOH said it has been notified of 355 cases of GBS infections so far. Of these, about 150 cases had the Sequence Type (ST) 283 strain which causes Type III GBS disease. In comparison, there were, on average, 150 cases of GBS infections per year from 2011 to last year.

The consumption of Chinese-style ready-to-eat raw-fish dishes was found to be associated with Type III GBS disease, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a joint media briefing yesterday with the MOH and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). MOH had said previously it has not found any links between the GBS infection and the consumption of Japanese raw meat or fish dish sashimi. Examples of popular Chinese-style raw-fish dishes are “yusheng”, which is usually eaten during Chinese New Year, and raw-fish porridge.

Over 70 stalls selling Chinese-style raw fish dishes have been identified by the authorities. NEA met with the owners of some of these stalls to brief them on its directive and guidelines, which include buying fish from suppliers which can provide certification on the health of the fish from authorities in the country of origin. Other measures include proper cold chain management, such as keeping fish for raw consumption chilled at the right temperature, and proper hygiene practices like using separate kitchen tools for preparing raw fish.

NEA said it has ruled out food handlers as the source of the bacteria. Tests on stool samples from 82 food handlers and fishmongers from retail food establishments, market stalls and wholesalers found that they did not carry the ST283 strain. Contamination of the fish could have occurred along the food chain supply, the probe concluded.

The authorities began investigations following reports in July that there was a spike in local GBS infections. Within the same month, NEA issued an advisory to food stalls, asking them to temporarily stop the sale of raw fish dishes made from Song fish and Toman fish. Since then, the number of GBS cases notified to MOH has decreased to “a usual baseline of less than 5 per week and continues to remain low”, the ministry said. Most of these cases were not due to raw fish consumption.

Between August and last month, the AVA and the NEA carried out tests on 400 fish samples from various species and across the food chain supply including fishery ports, wet markets, fresh produce section of supermarkets, and retail food establishments.

A fifth of the samples were found to contain the GBS bacteria, and 4.1 per cent tested positive for the ST283 strain.

Infectious disease experts TODAY spoke to pointed out that GBS bacteria is found naturally on fish and handling practices could have led to cross-contamination where fish meant to be eaten raw were mixed with fish for cooking and carrying the ST283 strain.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, from the Rophi Clinic in Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, said: “Someone must have started a new practice of handling the fish in the recent year and it’s still ongoing. It could be very harmless handling of just using the same box (to hold the fish) and then the cross-contamination occurred.”

The particular strain could also be causing the spike in GBS infections because it seems to be associated with “greater virulence or greater deadliness”, said Dr Hsu Li Yang, a physician at the ID Clinic in Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre.

Mr Derek Ho, NEA’s director-general of environmental public health, reiterated that most food in fisheries and markets here are not meant for raw consumption. “They’re meant for cooking… If you want to eat food that’s raw, you should ensure they are procured from proper sources,” he said. Some supermarkets have dedicated counters for selling raw products, he noted.

However, experts felt that food stalls would face difficulties in following NEA’s guidelines. As a result, most could stop selling the dishes, they noted. Dr Hsu said: “(Food stalls) have to be able to trace the source of the fish down to how they store it, how they serve it and prepare it… Even if they get it from a supplier who can tick all these boxes for them, they still have to go through great lengths in terms of how they store the fish in the hawker stall and prepare it.”

Dr Leong described NEA’s directive to the food stalls as “a right order but... a tall order”. “It’s good to come up with some protocols but implementation will be extremely difficult… It requires a higher understanding of science, and it’s a new level of understanding and education,” he said.


NEA issues new advisory cautioning consumption of ‘inherently risky’ raw foods
Stallholders will be banned from selling raw fish dishes, unless they comply with guidelines. NEA says it will work with stallholders on how to abide by its guidelines, after further investigations into the spike of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections reported in June.
Justin Ong, Vimita Mohandas, News 5, Channel NewsAsia 27 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) issued an advisory on Friday (Nov 27) for the sale and consumption of raw fish after further investigations into the spike of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections reported in June.

With findings showing a link between the consumption of raw fish dishes and disease caused by GBS, NEA has cautioned the public over the inherent risks of consuming raw food, while food stalls are to immediately stop selling raw fish dishes until they adhere to guidelines set out by the agency.

In the first half of the year, the number of GBS cases at hospitals rose from an average of 150 a year in the past four years to 238 a year. In July, with some samples of raw fish found to contain GBS bacteria, the NEA advised stallholders to temporarily stop selling raw fish dishes using Song and Toman fish.

To date, there have been 355 cases of GBS infections reported this year, of which about 150 cases were the Type III GBS ST283 strain linked to the consumption of Chinese-style ready-to-eat raw fish dishes, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

There have been two deaths among the GBS cases this year, according to MOH. One death was of a recently reported case and it is still under investigation, while the other was not linked to the outbreak, the ministry added.

While there has been a dip in GBS cases to less than five a week, the cause of these baseline infections remains unknown, said NEA.

A joint-investigation with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and the MOH has determined that food handlers are unlikely to be the source of the GBS bacteria, after 82 such individuals were tested and returned negative results.

Between August and October, the AVA and NEA also tested about 400 samples of a variety of commonly-used fish and found GBS present in 20.1 per cent while 4.1 per cent carried the Type III GBS ST283 strain associated with the consumption of Chinese-style raw fish dishes like yusheng.

The authorities could not pinpoint the exact source of contamination but said it could have occurred at any part of the food supply chain, from fishery ports to wet market stalls to food shops. It did not rule out that the GBS bacteria could have been imported from its original source.

"The fish that we receive in Singapore are either farm bred or wild caught," said Mr Derek Ho, NEA’s director-general of its Environmental Public Health Division. "They could be from farms or sea. They could come into Singapore through various channels - through the fishery ports. Some are air flown in and of course at various supply chains from the ports it goes to distribution points for example, the wet market stalls before it finally ends up at the retail end."

CONSUMERS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION

In light of its findings, NEA has advised consumers to exercise caution over the consumption of raw fish and in general, raw foods, as harmful bacteria may be present. Cooking raw food is still the most effective way to kill bacteria, it said.

“Most food we find in our fishery ports and markets are not meant for raw consumption," said Mr Ho. "They are meant for cooking, so we shouldn’t be buying from markets and thinking these could be just cut up and you can eat it raw."

“If you want to eat food that’s raw, you should ensure they are procured from proper sources,” he added. “For example, if you are preparing your own yusheng, you should ensure the raw fish you intend for raw consumption is procured from sources where the fish is intended for that purpose ... in supermarkets, we have dedicated counters for selling such raw products.”

The NEA director-general also said: “The consumption of raw foods in itself is inherently risky, especially for vulnerable groups. If you are pregnant, immune-compromised, or have young children, it’s best you don’t take raw food.”

STALLHOLDERS NEED TO COMPLY WITH GUIDELINES

According to Mr Ho, NEA would inform over 70 stalls selling raw fish dishes that with immediate effect, “they should cease sales of such raw fish, until such time they are able to comply with the advisory and guidelines which will be issued to them for safe handling of ready-to-eat raw fish”.

“These include ensuring the fish is procured from sources where there is assurance that the waters are cleaner, and there’s a proper cold chain system in terms of processing and handling of fish,” said Mr Ho. “And right down to the stall itself to ensure proper segregation of fish intended for raw consumption from other raw products meant for cooking.”

“Proper segregation from the source all the way down to the point of sale will ensure the ready-to-eat fish is of the highest quality and safe for consumption,” he said.

The ban on the sale of raw fish dishes will be in place unless stall holders complied with guidelines. NEA said it would directly engage and work with stallholders on how to properly recognise the advisory and abide by its guidelines.

The agency said it would keep the raw fish stalls under active monitoring and surveillance. If any rules are flouted, NEA said it would have legal provisions to take action, whether through demerit points, fines ranging from S$300 to S$2,000, or the suspension of the stall’s license in cases of repeat offences.

Asked if it would provide monetary support for stalls with raw fish dishes as their main livelihood, NEA said: “We are not considering financial assistance at this point. Stallholders have to make the necessary adjustments.”

HAWKERS REPORT A DROP IN BUSINESS

Stall holders Channel NewsAsia spoke with said business has dropped since the GBS Bacteria was found to have been linked to raw fish.

"Ever since authorities started looking into the matter, and after the media started covering the incident, the market (raw fish stalls) has been affected," said Mr Kiang Choon Tong, owner of Soon Heng Pork and Fish Porridge at Amoy Street Food Centre. "While we usually sell about 70 to 80 portions a day, now we can't even sell 10 plates a day. Because the moment people hear 'yusheng', they're scared."

Mr Kiang added that business has been poor since July.

"It's really hard to survive," he said. "People now have a fear of yusheng. They're all scared after reading or watching news reports."

Mr Wong Yeow Loy, owner of Tian Tian Porridge at Chinatown Complex Market, shared similar experiences. He said he has seen a "40 per cent drop" in sales.

Both stallholders say they have stopped from using Song fish and are now using Xi Dao fish (Wolf Herring).

"Xi Dao fish and Song fish, in terms of pricing, Xidao is more expensive by nature," said Mr Kiang. "Song fish is more popular, both with stall holders and customers, as its value for money."

"Xi Dao tastes really good. But because of its price, many avoid it," he added. "However, more discerning customers would still choose Xi Dao instead."

Due to the increase in cost, the price of each dish has also gone up.

"We had to increase our prices ever since we started using Xi Dao fish. It used to be S$2.50 per plate for Song fish, now it's S$5," said Mr Wong. "I'd like to tell customers that the Xi Dao fish is approved for use, so that they will have more confidence (in buying the dish).

"We intend to stick with using Xi Dao fish until the Song fish has been approved for use again."

- CNA/kk


355 cases of GBS infections so far this year: MOH
LAURA PHILOMIN Today Online 17 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE — To date, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said there have been 355 cases of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections this year, with two deaths so far.

Of these, 150 cases were the Type III GBS ST283 strain linked to the consumption of Chinese-style ready-to-eat raw fish dishes. One death was of case recently reported to MOH and is still under investigation while the other was not linked to the outbreak, said the ministry.

“Since mid-July 2015, following the advisory issued by NEA to licensed food retail establishments to temporarily stop the sale of RTE raw fish dishes using Song fish and Toman fish, the number of GBS cases notified to MOH has decreased to a usual baseline of less than 5 per week and continues to remain low. Most of these cases did not report raw fish consumption. The cause of the baseline infections remains unknown,” it added.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has ordered all food stalls to stop selling Chinese-style raw fish dishes until they can comply with stipulated guidelines.

There were, on average, 150 cases of GBS infections per year from 2011 to last year.


Raw-fish stalls close, tweak menu after bacteria scare
STACEY LIM Today Online 28 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE — In the wake of new guidelines that hawkers must comply with to keep selling raw-fish dishes, those interviewed by TODAY expect the prospects for selling this mainstay of their menus to remain dismal. Some also felt that there should be more scrutiny of suppliers of raw fish.

The new guidelines, issued by the National Environment Agency (NEA), came after investigations by the Ministry of Health found a definite link between eating these dishes and Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection.

Some hawker stalls selling raw-fish dishes have already stopped operating in the wake of earlier reports about such links a few months ago, while others are depending on selling other dishes to keep their businesses float.

TODAY’s visits to several food centres yesterday (Nov 28) showed that some of the hawker stalls known for selling raw-fish dishes were either closed or not selling raw fish anymore.

Mr Lim Siew Leong, the 70-year-old owner of Jiu Ji porridge stall at Chinatown Complex Market, still sells raw-fish porridge, but said that business had dropped by 60 to 70 per cent.

“People are scared, but the die-hard customers still come,” said Mr Lim, who has been operating his stall for the past 40 years.

Although fish reared in ponds are “one to four times cheaper”, Mr Lim said he has always been buying fish caught from the sea from Jurong Fishery Port, an international port for foreign fishing vessels to land their fish catch, so that he can assure his customers they are being served better-quality fish.

Some hawkers told TODAY that they had been observing the recommended hygiene practices, and felt that fish suppliers should also come under scrutiny.

Mr Koh Tong Hien, 58, who manages a stall at Tekka Market with his wife, suggested the delivery trucks carrying raw fish should be examined.

“It is quite odd for a porridge stall to stop selling raw fish, it is something people look for to eat with their porridge, just like how some prefer peanuts or chicken meat,” he said.

Mr Koh has just started selling fish head bee hoon as well to make up for the drop in demand for his raw-fish porridge dishes.

Mr Kiang Choon Tong, owner of Soon Heng Pork and Fish Porridge at Amoy Street Food Centre, said the NEA should have given hawkers more time and introduced hygiene standards for suppliers of raw fish instead of banning hawkers from selling raw-fish dishes unless they comply with the guidelines.

Mr Kiang, who said he is now earning S$200 to S$300 less a day, added: “There’s nothing we can do but to stop selling the raw fish.”


Thoroughly cooked fish poses no GBS risk: Experts
LAURA PHILOMIN Today Online 28 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE — Eating fish that is thoroughly cooked poses no risk of a person contracting Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, even for those with weakened immune systems. Infectious disease experts said this in the wake of the Health Ministry’s investigation findings that linked these infections to the consumption of Chinese-style raw- fish dishes.

The National Environment Agency (NEA), which has ordered stallholders to stop selling these dishes indefinitely, warned of inherent risks in eating raw food. As a general precaution, it has advised vulnerable groups of people such as children, pregnant women, the elderly or those with chronic illnesses to avoid consuming raw food.

But experts said the risk is not eliminated just because a fish is cooked. They stressed that cooking fish thoroughly is the key.

A case in point is a 75-year-old woman who in late September contracted GBS, which doctors suspect came from her consumption of steamed fish that was not thoroughly cooked. She had to be hospitalised for two weeks and put on antibiotics for one month.

Her 37-year-old daughter, who declined to be named, said her mother had an underlying condition called cellulitis, which makes it difficult for fluids to flow through her body and causes leg swelling.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam from the Rophi Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre said that thoroughly cooking food kills all bacteria and properly cooked fish poses no risk, even to those with weaker immune systems.

“As part of public health education, the only GBS that we’re scared of with regard to fish consumption is this particular outbreak strain (ST283),” added Dr Hsu Li Yang, infectious disease physician at the ID Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre. “But as long as fish is cooked, it should be fine.”


MOH confirms link between Chinese-style raw fish and GBS bacteria
The Straits Times AsiaOne 27 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE - Food stalls are no longer allowed to sell Chinese-style raw fish dishes unless they comply with guidelines set out by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The guidelines include purchasing from suppliers who can show the quality of the fish - by providing a valid health certificate, for instance - and ensuring that the fish are kept at below five degrees Celsius during transportation and chilling.

This comes as the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed an association between the consumption of Chinese-style raw fish, such as song fish (Asian Bighead Carp) and toman fish (Snakehead fish), and Type III Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease, specifically due to Sequence Type (ST) 283. The ministry was investigating the spike in the number of GBS infections reported here since the middle of this year.

Most recently, a 52-year-old man fell into a coma days after consuming a bowl of yusheng-style raw fish porridge on Nov 15.

Food handlers are unlikely to be the source of the bacteria causing GBS infections, the NEA, MOH and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said in a joint statement today.

"The stool samples of 82 food handlers and fishmongers from retail food establishments, market stalls, and wholesalers were tested. None of them carried the Type III GBS ST283 strain," the statement said.

Between August and October, the AVA and NEA tested fish samples from retail food establishments, wet markets, fresh produce section of supermarkets and fishery ports. GBS was detected in 20.1 per cent of these samples, and 4.1 per cent were confirmed positive for Type III GBS ST283. The contamination of the fish could have occurred along the food supply chain, the NEA, MOH and AVA said.

They added that the number of GBS cases reported has decreased to the usual baseline of fewer than five per week and continued to remain low since mid-July, when the NEA issued an advisory to food stalls to temporarily stop selling Chinese-style raw fish dishes. The cause of these baseline infections remains unknown.

Members of the public are advised to purchase Chinese-style raw fish from establishments that have separate processes to handle these raw fish from other raw food meant for cooking.

Most fish sold at Singapore's general markets and fishery ports are intended for cooking, and should not be eaten raw. Proper cooking would ensure that naturally-occurring bacteria or parasites are killed. Procuring fish that are intended for raw consumption reduces the risk of foodborne illness, the authorities said. Such fish are typically bred or harvested from cleaner waters, and are stored and distributed according to appropriate cold chain management practices.


Raw fish porridge falls out of favour after GBS cases
Linette Lai, The Straits Times AsiaOne 27 Nov 15;

Several hawkers selling raw fish porridge said they stopped doing so when the National Environment Agency (NEA) advised against it four months ago, and have not restarted sales since then.

"Everyone is scared to death of eating raw fish now," said Mr Kiang Choon Tong, 68, who owns Soon Heng Pork and Fish Porridge at Amoy Street Food Centre.

"Even if I sell it, nobody will buy it. As long as there's raw fish in the porridge, nobody wants to eat it," said Mr Kiang, who now sells pork porridge instead.

Mr Kiang Joon Chin, 60, who owns Zhen Zhen Porridge at Maxwell Food Centre, said: "We haven't been selling any raw fish porridge since July, after the scare. We sell porridge with only cooked ingredients now."

The Straits Times visited three food centres yesterday and found that some hawkers have stopped selling raw fish porridge. Those that do use a species of fish not linked to the bacteria scare in July.

Raw fish dishes are under the spotlight again after 52-year-old salesman Sim Tharn Chun was hospitalised on Thursday last week after eating a raw fish dish at Tiong Bahru hawker centre. He was admitted to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and remains in critical condition.

In July, the Health Ministry (MOH) said it found a link between the consumption of raw fish and Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections in a "limited number" of cases.

Shortly after, NEA issued an advisory to more than 70 raw fish porridge stalls asking them to temporarily stop selling raw fish dishes made from Song fish, or Asian bighead carp, and Toman fish, also called snakehead. The raw fish pieces are usually served with sesame oil, ginger and chilli.

Preliminary findings from MOH's investigations found some samples from the two species had traces of GBS. In August, MOH reported that GBS cases had fallen from an average of 20 cases a week since the start of the year to around three cases a week in the first three weeks of August. GBS is a common bacteria found in the gut or urinary tract of about 15 per cent to 30 per cent of adults, and does not usually cause disease in healthy people. But it may occasionally cause serious infections of the joints, brain, heart and blood.

It is not known how many GBS cases have been diagnosed in Singapore since January. An MOH spokesman said in July that one of the larger hospitals had treated 76 cases of GBS this year, up from a yearly average of 53 in the past five years.

Yesterday, Mr Sim's wife, Mrs Cathryn Sim, 43, said her husband's condition is not improving.

She said she needed answers on whether "raw fish in Singapore is healthy. I'm not going to blame the hawkers because they don't know".


Raw fish and GBS infection: 7 questions about the bacteria answered
Linette Lai, The Straits Times AsiaOne 28 Nov 15;


1. WHAT IS GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS BACTERIA (GBS)?

It is a bacterium commonly found in the gut and urinary tract of about 15 to 30 per cent of adults without causing any disease. But it may occasionally cause infections of the skin, joints, heart and brain. It can lead to meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Having chronic conditions, such as diabetes, put people at a higher risk of getting GBS infections.


2. IF GBS IS A COMMON BACTERIA, WHY IS IT THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN SO ILL AFTER BEING INFECTED?

The serious cases this year have been found to be associated with a particular strain of GBS known as Sequence Type 283 (ST283). Although this strain is not fully understood as yet, it is believed to be more aggressive than others.

There are many different strains of GBS, not all of which have been fully studied. However, these bacteria are generally not considered food-borne pathogens.

3. ARE SOME PEOPLE MORE PRONE TO INFECTION?

In general, newborns and people with poorer immunity, such as those who have diabetes, cancer and HIV, are usually more vulnerable to the infection, say doctors. But the cases this year affected both young adults and the old.

Traditionally, GBS infections have been associated with pregnancy as mothers who are carriers of the bacteria may pass it to their babies during birth.

4. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GBS INFECTIONS AND HOW CAN THEY BE TREATED?

The most common symptom of infection is a fever, said Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases specialist with Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

It is important to recognise and treat it early, said Dr Leong, adding that it can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin.

Other more serious symptoms include infection of the joints, brain, lungs and other soft tissue in the body. The kind of symptoms a person has depends on the site of the bacterial infection.

5. WHY IS THE BAN ONLY ON CHINESE-STYLE RAW FISH DISHES? IS IT SAFE TO EAT SASHIMI?

Most of these Chinese-style dishes use fish that are intended for cooking and should not be eaten raw. They may contain parasites or bacteria, which are killed by cooking.

Fish used for sashimi are usually bred or harvested from cleaner waters.

6. HOW WOULD I KNOW WHAT KINDS OF RAW FISH ARE SAFE TO EAT?

You should make sure that the people you are buying from handle raw fish separately from other raw food that is meant to be cooked. For example, they should have separate counters, chopping boards, and knives to prepare fish meant to be served raw.

7. WERE POOR HYGIENE PRACTICES OF HAWKERS THE CAUSE OF THE GBS OUTBREAK EARLIER THIS YEAR?

It is unlikely. The stool samples of 82 food handlers and fishmongers were tested, and none of them were positive for the specific strain of GBS associated with the outbreak.


Eateries take steps to keep raw fish dishes safe
Jessica Lim, Straits Times AsiaOne 29 Nov 15;
Several eateries selling raw fish dishes here are making doubly sure that their supplies are up to the mark, given a rise in Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections here this year.

Many are doing this even though they are not serving the three types of fish linked to the infection - song fish (Asian bighead carp), toman fish (snakehead) and tilapia.

Mr Kevin Cheong, 46, owner of Hinoki Japanese Dining in the Central Business District, called his raw fish suppliers last week to get the assurance that their fish are GBS-free.

"We asked them for necessary certification and are monitoring the situation," he said. His firm imports only sashimi-grade raw fish from Japan, Norway, Thailand and Indonesia, and all its supplies come from farms certified by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), he added.

However, since the GBS scare began in July, demand for raw fish at his eatery has dipped 15 per cent year- on-year with a few customers asking if he served the three fish types linked to the infections. "Some are avoiding raw fish altogether," he said, adding that staff have been reminded to follow proper hygiene procedures.

Japanese restaurant chain Sakae Sushi, which has about 50 outlets here, has informed its suppliers about the GBS scare and is monitoring the matter closely. Mr Douglas Foo, the chain's founder and chairman, said he visits the farms of his raw fish suppliers - in countries such as South Africa - to take samples from the water the fish are reared in for lab tests. Independent auditors visit the farms regularly and each batch of raw fish that arrives here is tested for various bacteria, including GBS.

Supplies are tagged with radio frequency identification chips to track if the cold chain has been broken. The fish are harvested, chilled and iced at the farms, then stored in large refrigerators and either flown or shipped to Singapore. "If the cold chain is broken, the batch will be rejected," said Mr Foo, adding that the restaurant group has not yet seen a dip in demand for raw fish.

The authorities stated last Friday that there is a definite link between the GBS infections - which can lead to meningitis - and Chinese-style raw fish dishes, including raw fish porridge. Hawkers have been told to stop selling such dishes unless they can prove the fish used are from safe suppliers. The Ministry of Health said it has been notified of 355 cases of GBS infection this year.

Supermarket chain FairPrice and the Dairy Farm Group - which runs Cold Storage and Giant - said they have strict standards for temperature control and personal hygiene, and do regular audits. Prime Supermarket chief executive Chong Wee Cheong said the AVA took samples of its fish for testing two months ago and they passed. At Sheng Siong, demand for song, tilapia and toman fish have fallen by 5 per cent from the same time last year. Head purchaser Kong Cheu Soon said staff have been reminded to tell customers the fish are not for eating raw. AVA tests on its supplies have come up negative.

But consumers like Madam Amutha Kumaran, 45, a sales executive who has two children, are playing it safe. "I told my family not to eat any more raw fish," she said.

Additional reporting by Linette Lai


Man, 22, dies from GBS infection
AsiaOne 3 Dec 15;

A 22-year-old man died from Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection on Tuesday (Dec 1), mere hours after he was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital, local media reported.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, Certis Cisco protection officer Roy Ng fell sick on Nov 23.

For over a week, Mr Ng had a persistent fever that rose to 40 degrees celsius at one point.


He also suffered from abdominal pain, vomiting, and had blood in his urine, his father told the Chinese evening daily.

The elder Mr Ng decided to send his son to the hospital after noticing that he looked pale in the early hours of Tuesday. He struggled to breathe and also wrapped his arms around his abdomen from the severe pain.

At the hospital, doctors found that Mr Ng's blood pressure had plunged to nearly half of the normal reading of 130/80, and there was fluid buildup in his lungs.

They operated on the young man in an emergency surgery but pronounced him dead three minutes later.

A doctor told Mr Ng's father that the bacterial infection had spread to his heart and kidneys, causing them to fail.

The Straits Times reported on Wednesday (Dec 2) that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is now investigating whether Mr Ng's death from GBS infection is related to the consumption of Chinese-style raw fish dishes also known as yusheng.

According to the deceased's father, he did not like eating yusheng. However, the elder Mr Ng was unsure if his son had consumed them while dining out with his friends.

Mr Ng's death marks the third fatal case of GBS infection this year.

MOH said last Friday (Nov 27) that it was notified of 355 GBS cases from the beginning of the year. Of these, 150 were linked to consumption of yusheng.

Joint investigations conducted by the National Environment Agency, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, and the health ministry confirmed an association between the consumption of yusheng with Sequence Type (ST) 283 - an aggressive strain of the GBS bacteria.

Uncooked freshwater fish such as Song fish (Asian bighead carp), Toman fish (snakehead) and tilapia were among those found containing ST283.

The authorities also ordered hawkers to stop selling the raw fish dishes unless they can prove that the fish came from safe sources.

What it should have been
Straits Times 9 Dec 15;

In the Nov 29 report, "Eateries take steps to keep raw fish dishes safe", Hinoki Japanese Dining owner Kevin Cheong was quoted as saying that he imported raw fish only from farms certified by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA). The AVA has clarified that it does not certify such farms but conducts inspection and sampling of imported food, including fish, at import points.

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Ensuring there's enough water - always

Ng Joo Hee, The Straits Times AsiaOne 28 Nov 15;

Not many people know that there are 17 freshwater reservoirs in Singapore, or that we have a large reservoir across the Causeway in Johor.

Constructed by the PUB following a 1990 treaty supplementary to Singapore's 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia, the Linggiu Reservoir dwarfs them all. In fact, with an 18km girth and 55 sq km in area, Linggiu is five times larger than all of Singapore's other reservoirs combined.

RESERVOIR STOCK RUNNING LOW

Two weeks ago, my boss, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, made the bumpy trek to Linggiu.

He did so with one aim: to tell the Singaporean public that - because of persistent dry weather - Linggiu Reservoir is more than half empty and that, while water supply in Singapore remains steady and resilient, the dry weather may eventually also affect us.

As I write, several parts of Johor Baru are well into the fourth month of water rationing. Many of Johor's own reservoirs are at critically low levels and a "one-day-on- two-days-off" scheduled water supply has been in operation since early August.

The water authority there has asked PUB to augment its supply during this period with an additional five million gallons a day (mgd) of potable water from our treatment plant in Johor, which we readily agreed to do.

Imported water - which can meet half of Singapore's daily demand for drinking water - is under threat and steadily depleting, but the taps continue to flow for consumers here.

This is an unappreciated blessing. For sure, this outcome is not in any way due to good fortune. It stems from long and careful planning, and conscientious implementation by PUB and other parts of the Government.

Singapore's continued ability to ensure water security and sustainability guarantees our national survival and economic prosperity. This was the case at Independence and it remains so now, when Singapore has turned 50.

Singapore's current demand for water is approximately 400 mgd, roughly 730 Olympic-size pools full of the life-giving stuff, with each person using an average of 150 litres a day.

As industry and commerce grow and our population increases, the demand for water can only rise. We expect total demand to double by 2061, to 800 mgd. This is also around the time our 99-year water agreement with Malaysia will end.

By 2030, 15 years from now, total demand would have reached 560 mgd, or a third more than today's.

This is water that we do not have now - water that we will need to find and treat.

There is just not enough space in Singapore to collect and store all the water that we need. Although right on the Equator and in the tropics, Singapore is actually a severely water-challenged country. We spend a lot of time and devote a lot of resources in planning for the future. PUB always builds ahead of demand.

Construction of Singapore's third desalination plant will soon commence. Plans for a fourth have just been announced. And you can be sure that we are busy working on the one after that.

Water security is a matter of life and death for us in Singapore. Our existence as a sovereign nation is directly contingent on enduring water security. The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, recognised this fact from day one, and worked tirelessly throughout his life to secure our water future. He once said: "Water dominated every other policy. Every other policy had to bend at the knees for water survival."

Singapore's water strategy comes in three parts. First of all, we have to maximise our own yield. So we strive to collect every drop of rain that falls here. This means turning as much of Singapore as possible into a water catchment, and keeping our drains, canals and waterways pristine.

Second, we have to think of water as an endlessly reusable resource. In our minds, the H2O molecule is never lost. Water can always be reclaimed and re-treated so that it can be drunk again.

PUB is a world leader in this. Today, we are able to turn wastewater into sweet water for very little money. We reclaim every drop of sewage and turn much of it into drinking water again.

And third, because Singapore is surrounded by sea, we turn seawater into drinking water. When membrane separation technology made desalination economically viable, PUB adopted it with great zeal. And we continue to research better desalination technology to find less expensive ways of desalting water.

Our plan, in the long run, is for fully 80 per cent of Singapore's water needs to be met by desalinated and recycled water.

TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, INGENUITY

The future of water security in Singapore may lie with desalination and reuse, but we also know that if we just do more of the same, the next drop of water will always be more expensive to collect, to treat and to deliver. So, PUB is always looking for new ways of doing things, new innovations that will let us produce water cheaper, and in an easier way.

Because the heavens do not give us enough water or the space to keep it, we have looked to clever science and high technology, and to human ingenuity, for improvements... It will be technology and innovation that will allow us to collect and clean our wastewater, and continue to keep our soil, rivers, lakes and seas clean and hospitable.

We are crystal clear about achieving three outcomes for research and innovation in the water sector: to increase water resources; lower the cost of production; and improve security and system resilience.

In order to achieve and sustain these outcomes, PUB has invested and continues to invest a lot of money in water-related scientific research, in nurturing human talent in water technology and engineering, and in actively developing a thriving and globally competitive water industry.

Water R&D is an exciting and fast-moving area. The cutting-edge science that PUB is supporting in research laboratories all over Singapore suggests that we are on the cusp of realising some truly game-changing technologies. Let me provide a few examples.

Desalination may be weather- resistant, but it is energy- intensive and a costly means of making seawater drinkable. Working with collaborators, PUB is ready to demonstrate electro-deionisation - the use of a new separation technology - as a far more energy-efficient way of taking salt out of seawater.

But why stop there? Mother Nature, as always, does it best. Mangrove and fish in the sea need fresh water too, and they are able to remove excess salt with minimal effort. Biomimicry offers great promise and is another area of research that we have devoted considerable resources to.

PUB engineers who have made wastewater treatment their life work will tell you that there is "gold" in sewage. Sludge, an inevitable by-product of sewage treatment, is concentrated organic material.

Energy can be readily recovered from sewage sludge in the form of methane gas. Because sludge management technology is advancing by the day, modern sewage treatment facilities are fast becoming waste-to-energy plants. PUB's planned Tuas Water Reclamation Plant will be just that.

To be developed jointly with the National Environment Agency's Integrated Waste Management Facility, this combined unit will be a world first, bringing unprecedented synergies in terms of land use, energy savings and operational efficiency.

Leaky pipes are enemy No. 1 for water network engineers. It is quite senseless to expend effort and energy in making water potable only to lose it through leaks in the water transmission network.

Losses because of leaks are a perennial challenge for water utilities the world over, and the water systems in some countries can lose as much as half of their production due to leaks. Despite fastidious attention to finding and plugging pipe leaks here, keeping our losses at the current 5 per cent is a daily challenge for our engineers and technicians.

Again, technology offers a solution. PUB is busy fitting out our extensive water conveyance network, most of which is underground, with sophisticated pressure and acoustic sensors. These not only detect pipeline ruptures, but careful study of sensor data will even help us predict imminent leaks before they happen, allowing us to do pre-emptive repairs.

Despite severely limiting geographic constraints, today's Singapore is not short of water.

As long as we at PUB continue to be smart and clear-eyed about our nation's water situation, and do our work well, there should always be enough water. This is possible only because we have used our imagination, researching and testing continuously, and have exploited technology to overcome our water challenges.

In this way, we have turned disadvantage into strength, and seemingly insurmountable vulnerability into endless opportunity.

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