It's a nice coincidence that Singaporean Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen's assessment that our city-state "has learnt five key lessons from haze crisis" appears in today's Sunday Times (7 July 2013, pp 2-3).
The article helps frame the Senang Diri Haze Survey, which was uploaded yesterday.
If you have already shared your feedback: Thank you! Please help share the Haze Survey link:
http://chinesejunk.polldaddy.com/s/survey-on-singapore-s-response-to-june-2013-haze-situation
Survey results will be published after the close of the poll in a week or so.
For the benefit of our overseas readers, including Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel attached to overseas detachments, the five lessons are:
1. The haze is a long-term issue that goes back as far as the 1970s. The difference now is the scale of the slash-and-burn practice when fires are lit by vast plantations.
2. Better early warning is needed to help Singov respond to future haze situations.
3. Information management can be improved upon.
4. The "Singapore System" is robust.
5. Singaporeans are resilient.
Extracts from the Suntimes story:
Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on health risks posed by the haze:
"We would like to tell Singaporeans: 'You know what your health risks are when you are exposed to so many hours (of haze)'... But the data, unfortunately, is not that precise... Experts tell us that when conditions worsen, please stay indoors... that is the best they can do.
"I think what people are doing - staying indoors, closing the doors, (using) fans, some using air purifiers - is the best that we can do on current evidence. Until somebody comes up with better studies to show that the risks actually are much more or much less, then we can calibrate it."
Why it took a while for the Government to announce its haze contingency plans:
"The plans were in place but we have to customise them to a specific threat. The fact that the haze went into unhealthy levels and we were able to activate masks, within a day or two, was a fairly quick response... This is in no way saying that we are satisfied with the response, we can always sharpen it... The fact that well over 80 per cent of Singaporeans polled said that Singapore would get through the haze, I think it's a measure of confidence in our system."
Whether Singapore can withstand a bigger crisis:
"I, personally, am gratified by the way Singaporeans have responded. There was a certain robustness in the systems, and more important than that, the way Singaporeans reached out to help one another... it tells us the level of trust and care that we have for one another, which is essential in any crisis.
"You can have the best-laid plans but if you don't have trust and care for one another, then you know it's each man for himself. So as long as we have that, I am confident that we can keep updating, keep strengthening..."
The article helps frame the Senang Diri Haze Survey, which was uploaded yesterday.
If you have already shared your feedback: Thank you! Please help share the Haze Survey link:
http://chinesejunk.polldaddy.com/s/survey-on-singapore-s-response-to-june-2013-haze-situation
Survey results will be published after the close of the poll in a week or so.
For the benefit of our overseas readers, including Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel attached to overseas detachments, the five lessons are:
1. The haze is a long-term issue that goes back as far as the 1970s. The difference now is the scale of the slash-and-burn practice when fires are lit by vast plantations.
2. Better early warning is needed to help Singov respond to future haze situations.
3. Information management can be improved upon.
4. The "Singapore System" is robust.
5. Singaporeans are resilient.
Extracts from the Suntimes story:
Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on health risks posed by the haze:
"We would like to tell Singaporeans: 'You know what your health risks are when you are exposed to so many hours (of haze)'... But the data, unfortunately, is not that precise... Experts tell us that when conditions worsen, please stay indoors... that is the best they can do.
"I think what people are doing - staying indoors, closing the doors, (using) fans, some using air purifiers - is the best that we can do on current evidence. Until somebody comes up with better studies to show that the risks actually are much more or much less, then we can calibrate it."
Why it took a while for the Government to announce its haze contingency plans:
"The plans were in place but we have to customise them to a specific threat. The fact that the haze went into unhealthy levels and we were able to activate masks, within a day or two, was a fairly quick response... This is in no way saying that we are satisfied with the response, we can always sharpen it... The fact that well over 80 per cent of Singaporeans polled said that Singapore would get through the haze, I think it's a measure of confidence in our system."
Whether Singapore can withstand a bigger crisis:
"I, personally, am gratified by the way Singaporeans have responded. There was a certain robustness in the systems, and more important than that, the way Singaporeans reached out to help one another... it tells us the level of trust and care that we have for one another, which is essential in any crisis.
"You can have the best-laid plans but if you don't have trust and care for one another, then you know it's each man for himself. So as long as we have that, I am confident that we can keep updating, keep strengthening..."