- B E R I T A _ H A R I _ I N I _ 2 0 0 9 -

syirunis

Geylang Serai hawkers told off by NEA
By Esther Ng, TODAY | Posted: 10 April 2009 0759 hrs


Spring-cleaning before the reopening of the market

SINGAPORE: On the eve of its reopening after two days of spring-cleaning, some 100 stallholders from the Geylang Serai Temporary Market attended a refresher course on cleanliness conducted by officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA).

And according to stallholder Ahman, they received an earful from one of the officers.

“He told us that he has been at the market at 1am for the past few days and back again at 4am - checking our stalls to see that they are clean,” said the 44-year-old chicken-rice seller, whose stall is opposite the Rojak Geylang Serai, which is at the centre of one of Singapore’s worst food poisoning scares.

“He warned us that he will take photos of untidy stalls and instead of giving us a ticket, he’ll summon us to court.”

During the hour-long briefing at the Kampong Ubi Community Centre, stallholders were reminded about housekeeping and hygiene.

They told TODAY that NEA officers had killed some 60 rats on Thursday, which pointed to a cleanliness standard that Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan called unacceptable.

“During SARS we were very good, maybe 9/10. After SARS, I think we (have) dropped to maybe 5/10 or worse. You look at toilets. Remember the “Toilet is OK” campaign? At that time it was okay, now it is not so okay,” Channel NewsAsia quoted him as saying.

The Minister added that he had written to Environment Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who is currently out of town, to suggest that the NEA use the opportunity to raise hygiene standards here.

On his part, the Health Minister said he plans to bar any food stall operator with a hygiene rating of C from operating within hospitals. Those currently graded C will be given three months to shape up.

The rojak stall apparently had a C-rating according to reports. Two women have died and six patrons are still recovering in hospitals as more than a 100 people fell ill after eating allegedly contaminated rojak at the temporary market.

Said Ms Siti Hasnah of kueh stall Warong SK 2M: “The NEA officers showed us slides of what they expect from us - cover the food, don’t mix cooked and uncooked food; don’t put pots and pans on the floor.

“It’s not that we don’t know all these things, but some times people get careless or they only think about themselves and not how (the lack of hygiene) can affect others, so this is a good reminder.”

The temporary market has 369 booths, of which 83 are cooked food stalls.

Mr Ahman, whose stall is opposite the rojak booth, said he has been “feeling bad, sad and worried” ever since the food poisoning incident.

“I feel sad that two people have died, but I’m worried because we all have a business to run,” he said.

The stallholder estimated that his business had dropped by 15 to 20 per cent. “I can’t tell how my business will go now that the centre is re-opening. Weekends are usually good. We’ll see.”`

Tests confirmed 13 cases to be positive for the bacteria vibrio parahaemolyticus. Among them was Madam Aminah Samijo, who died on Monday.

According to MOH, the bacteria, traced to the consumption of rojak from the stall, was most likely due to cross-contamination of rojak and raw seafood ingredients harbouring the bacteria.

Foodhandlers at the Rojak Geylang Serai stall had used the neighbouring mee siam booth to store and wash their equipment.

According to the MOH, they also shared the refrigerator in the mee siam stall.

Three of the five food handlers at Rojak Geylang Serai have tested negative and the results of the other two are pending.

Meanwhile, hundreds turned up for the funeral of Mdm Noraini Kassim on Thursday, the second person to die after eating tainted rojak at the temporary market.

Family members said they are waiting for an official report from the National Environment Agency before deciding their next course of action.

- TODAY/yb

syirunis

Geylang Serai Temporary Market re-opens after 2-day cleaning blitz
By Asha Popatlal/Seet Sok Hwee, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 April 2009 1925 hrs

  

SINGAPORE : The Geylang Serai Temporary Market re-opened on Friday, after a two-day cleaning blitz.

This comes after it became the centre of Singapore's worst mass food poisoning outbreak to date, where two people have died so far and over 150 struck ill, after they ate from a rojak stall there. The incident is also believed to have caused a woman to miscarry.

In its latest update, the Health Ministry said one person has been discharged from hospital, leaving five others still warded for food poisoning.

Laboratory results of three food handlers - including a food handler from the adjacent mee siam stall - are still pending.

Meanwhile, some customers have returned to the Geylang Serai Temporary Market, and stallholders said business remained slow, dropping by between 20 and 50 per cent in some cases.

While some patrons were happy to tuck into the food there, others stayed away.

Stallholders are hoping things will turn around soon.

One stallholder said: "We are neighbours. So far we also ate rojak, no problem. I don't know what happened."

Another said: "This morning (business was) very slow. Looks like all the customers know about (the incident), (and are) worried..."

A third said: "I am hoping (things will return) to normal (within) 2-3 days. Because it is a holiday, there should be a lot of people here. But you see empty tables."

Meanwhile, former Lions skipper and regular patron Aide Iskandar said he was baffled by the incident but not put off - especially with a cleaner centre now.

The former captain of the national football team said: "I was shocked to hear (about it), but (it is) good that we now know what is the cause. I will definitely come here as regularly, because I do love the food here and the fact that marketing here is also good. But (it is) unfortunate that this incident happened."

Earlier, MP for the area, Dr Ong Seh Hong, toured the market with grassroots leaders, and said its overall reputation should not be affected by lapses in individual stalls.

Still, it is a reminder to stallholders about the importance of proper food handling and hygiene.

Meanwhile, the cleanliness spotlight also turned to other temporary markets, like the one at Albert Centre.

It saw an initial dip in business, called for an emergency meeting, and decided to increased its frequency of cleaning operations - from thrice daily to hourly.

And on Monday, the entire centre will be shut down for a thorough cleaning.

The management said the move is part of its scheduled three-monthly full clean-up - and not related to the latest food poisoning case. - CNA/ms

syirunis

12 suffer food poisoning after eating at same restaurant in Geylang
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 April 2009 2112 hrs



SINGAPORE: There has been another case of mass food poisoning, also in the Geylang area.

The Health Ministry said it was notified on Saturday of 12 cases - all of whom ate at a steamboat restaurant BaShu RenJia at 233 Lorong 9, Geylang Road on Friday evening.

All were treated as outpatients. One patient who was supposed to be hospitalised went home to recuperate.

The ministry and the National Environment Agency (NEA) are investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, for the Geylang Serai rojak case, three patients are still recovering in hospital.

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, speaking at a community event in Marine Parade, said three parties will have to play their part to prevent a recurrence of such a problem.

Welcoming new residents in his constituency, Mr Goh spoke about the need to build a more gracious society.

Using a slide show to explain inconsiderate behaviour, he pointed out how each person needs to play his part for more gracious living - even linking this to the recent outbreak of mass food poisoning in Geylang Serai.

"We all know that food establishments are very important for our own health. Most of us eat outside very regularly, so hygiene in public places like food stalls is very important," said Mr Goh.

The big question now, though, is how to prevent a recurrence of such an incident. For this, Mr Goh said three parties have to play their parts.

He said: "The government must have the responsibility of reinforcing measures to ensure that eating establishments outside are kept to a higher standard of cleanliness. We do this through measures, through regular inspections and enforce those measures on the people who sell us food."

The second group of people whom Mr Goh said have to play their part are hawkers and food handlers. They have to practise proper food hygiene.

One idea he suggested was the use of hand sanitisers used widely in hospitals.

Mr Goh suggested hawkers might want to use sanitisers regularly to keep their hands clean when handling food.

The third group of people whom Mr Goh said have a part to play in preventing food poisoning is the average Singaporean, who has to practise proper personal hygiene not just at home but also in public places.

- CNA/ir

syirunis

Nude couple charged
By Elena Chong


Jan Philip (far left) and Eng Kai Er are accused of appearing nude in public at Holland Village at about 11pm on Jan 24. -- ST PHOTOS: TERENCE TAN

alahai, pandai pulak tutup muka


yang ni, tak malu pulak
A couple who caused a stir by strolling down naked along Lorong Mambong earlier this year were charged in court on Thursday. -- PHOTO: INTERNET


A COUPLE who caused a stir by strolling down naked along Lorong Mambong earlier this year were charged in court on Thursday.

Jan Philip, 21, a Swedish student on exchange programme, and Eng Kai Er, 24, a university student in Sweden, are accused of appearing nude in public at Holland Village at about 11pm on Jan 24.

Both were clad in black suits when they appeared before District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan.

Their lawyer, Mr William Chan, asked for an adjournment to write in to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

If convicted, both may be fined up to $2,000 and/or jailed for up to three months.

As Philip is a foreigner, he was offered bail of $5,000 but Eng, a Singaporean, need not post bail. Philip's passport was impounded.

They will be back in court on April 30.

syirunis

Singapura : 13 April 2009        
  
KES KERACUNAN MAKANAN DI GEYLANG SERAI

GEYLANG SEPI DI HUJUNG MINGGU

Sebahagian peniaga kurangi harga

Oleh
Siti Aisyah Sa'id

KES keracunan makanan terus membayangi perniagaan di pasar sementara Geylang Serai hingga ia menjadi sepi walau pada hujung minggu.

Kerana tertekan dengan perniagaan yang menjunam lebih 60 peratus, ada peniaga, terutama yang menjual ikan, sotong dan udang, telah mengambil langkah drastik termasuk mengurangkan harga barang jualan sebanyak 20 peratus.

Para peniaga lain seperti yang menjual daging lembu, kambing dan ayam pula telah mengurangkan tempahan daripada pemborong kerana pelanggan terus menjauhkan diri.

Seorang penjaja daging kambing, Encik Abdul Malik dari gerai Mutton King, berkata perniagaannya telah merosot lebih 60 peratus.

'Dahulu sememangnya saya ˜King', kini saya sudah bertukar menjadi hulubalang,' ujarnya berseloroh.

'Saya menganggarkan saya mengalami kerugian lebih 50 peratus. Perniagaan kini menjadi semakin buruk. Selalu pada hujung minggu saya berupaya menjual tiga ekor kambing, tetapi kini nak sampai satu setengah ekor pun tidak terlarat,' ujarnya.

Seorang penjaja ayam pula, Encik Mohamed A. Rahman, berkata beliau telah mengurangkan tempahan ayam daripada sekitar 250 ekor sehari minggu lalu kepada hanya 80 ekor sehari.

'Selalu pada hujung minggu, keadaan begitu sesak sehingga kita nak makan pun susah. Kini kita terpaksa termenung menunggu pelanggan,' ujarnya.

Tinjauan Berita Harian mendapati beberapa barangan seperti udang dan sotong kini dijual lebih murah.

Udang rata-rata dijual pada harga $5 sekilo berbanding $6-$8 sekilo minggu lalu. Sotong pula dijual antara $3.50 hingga $4 sekilo berbanding $5-$6 sekilo minggu lalu.

Keadaan yang lesu turut membelenggu gerai makanan yang menjual pelbagai juadah termasuk nasi ayam, laksa dan soto.

Cik Lia, seorang pekerja dari Warong Solo, yang terletak empat kedai daripada gerai rojak India, berkata perniagaannya telah merosot lebih 70 peratus.

'Selalunya kami penat melayan pelanggan yang datang bertali arus. Namun kami kini penat menunggu pelanggan,' ujarnya.

Dalam tempoh 15 minit, gerai Warong Solo dikunjungi kurang 10 pelanggan.

Antara pelanggan yang terus berbelanja di gerai makanan ialah Encik Nasir Lubis, 46 tahun.

'Sudah lebih 25 tahun saya menjadi pelanggan tetap Geylang Serai. Setiap minggu saya akan datang sini untuk makan dan beli barangan pasar.

'Saya tidak rasa mengapa disebabkan kes yang terpencil itu saya tidak akan datang sini lagi,' katanya.

Seorang lagi pelanggan tetap Geylang, Cik Bedah, 63 tahun, berasa sedih melihat keadaan Geylang.

Walaupun menetap di Tampines, beliau tetap ke Geylang kerana selesa berbelanja di Geylang dua kali seminggu.

'Alah bisa, tegal biasa. Saya sudah terbiasa berbelanja di sini, walaupun segala keperluan ada di kawasan perumahan dan selalu dilarang oleh anak-anak, saya tetap hendak datang ke sini,' ujarnya.

syirunis

Singapura : 13 April 2009         
  
PEGERAI DI GEYLANG KECEWA GRED KEBERSIHAN DITURUNKAN KE C

Oleh
Azahar Mohd dan Siti Aisyah Sa'id

PARA pegerai makanan di Pasar Sementara Geylang Serai yang sebelum ini mengeluh kerana dihantui kes keracunan, menerima satu lagi tamparan - aras kebersihan gerai-gerai mereka diturunkan kepada Gred C.

Gred lebih rendah yang diberikan Agensi Sekitaran Kebangsaan (NEA) itu kelmarin dikatakan menyebabkan pelanggan menjauhi gerai-gerai mereka dan sekali gus menjejas perniagaan mereka.

Ini berdasarkan pemeriksaan Berita Harian di pasar itu semalam ekoran aduan para pegerai yang mendakwa terjejas akibat sema- kan ke atas gred kebersihan geraigerai mereka itu.

Ketika ditemui semalam, pemilik gerai minuman yang hanya mahu dikenali sebagai Encik Farook melahirkan kekecewaannya.

'Selepas selesai membersihkan gerai, pihak NEA yang datang memeriksa menyatakan gerai saya merupakan gerai terbersih, saya tidak faham mengapa saya mendapat gred C walhal gerai saya lebih bersih daripada sebelumnya.'

Sewaktu perniagaan di pasar Geylang lama, gerainya merupakan juara bertahan bagi gerai terbersih sebanyak tiga kali.

Lebih 90 peratus daripada sekitar 60 pegerai dipercayai terjejas dengan penurunan itu.

Sistem gred diperkenalkan pada Jun 1997 bagi menyediakan pelanggan lebih banyak maklumat mengenai piawaian kebersihan gerai-gerai di pusat penjaja.

Gred-gred itu dinilai setahun sekali. Ia adalah A (cemerlang bagi markah 85 peratus dan lebih tinggi), B (baik, 70 hingga 84 peratus), C (sederhana, 50 hingga 69 peratus) dan D (bawah sederhana, 40 hingga 49 peratus).

Sehingga Disember lalu, sekitar 23 peratus gerai mempunyai gred A, 61 peratus gred B, 14 peratus gred C dan 0.1 peratus atau tujuh gerai menerima gred D.

Pemeriksaan BH mendapati hanya tiga pegerai mempunyai gred B, manakala yang lain diberi gred C.

Ada juga pegerai yang masih terus tidak memaparkan gred mereka.

Seorang lagi penjaja, Encik Mahnud Rahim Hassanali, pemilik gerai Tandoori Cafe, berkata:

'Sejak mendapat gred C, perniagaan saya semakin teruk. Saya mengalami kerugian sebanyak 80 peratus. Sepatutnya mereka membantu menaikkan perniagaan kami setelah kes keracunan, tetapi kini keadaan menjadi semakin buruk.'

Pemilik gerai minuman Chee Kong dan Cheng Teng yang pernah memperolehi sijil Makansutra, Cik Lee Ailim, 47 tahun, pula berkata:

'Sejak semalam saya tidak dapat tidur asyik terfikirkan gerai. Saya berasa amat sakit hati. Tidak adil mereka menurunkan gred kebersihan gerai saya. Mereka menyatakan ini buat sementara waktu sahaja dan gred B akan di pulangkan di tempat baru. Saya mahu lihat adakah janji itu akan ditepati atau tidak.'

virgomal

Rojak stall owner faces court action over mass food poisoning
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 April 2009 2229 hrs
         
         
               

Rojak Geylang Serai
           
         
Rojak stall owner faces court action over mass food poisoning
SINGAPORE : Authorities have decided to prosecute the rojak stall holder at the centre of a food poisoning outbreak in Singapore.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said the stall owner's licence will be suspended pending the outcome of the court action.

The Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria, commonly found in seafood, has been identified as the source of the food poisoning outbreak in the Geylang Serai rojak case.

The MOH said it has concluded investigations and confirmed that 13 cases tested positive for this bacteria, including the first fatal case.

There were altogether 154 cases - with 48 being hospitalised and 2 deaths.

The health ministry said death associated with the bacteria is rare, and are awaiting the coroner's report on the two deaths.

The exact steps to the contamination of the rojak food items or gravy is unclear because the stall operators had cleared out the food items and gravy as soon as they received customer complaints.

The health ministry and NEA cited a similar case in 1983, when 34 cases of food poisoning came about from the same bacteria at an Indian Rojak stall, also at Geylang Serai. In this case, the food was prepared at an unlicensed premise at Joo Chiat, where abundant drippings from raw cuttlefish were found to have contaminated the rojak gravy in uncovered containers on the lower shelves of a refrigerator.

As for the food poisoning outbreak at the steamboat restaurant in Geylang, the authorities have been notified of another two cases - bringing the total to 19.

13 food handlers have also been directed to undergo screening and their results are pending.

The authorities advise the public to take note of personal hygiene and the area's cleanliness, especially when eating out. - CNA /ls

virgomal

32 injured in traffic accident along Selegie Road
By 938 Live | Posted: 14 April 2009 1410 hrs

  

SINGAPORE: 32 people were injured in a traffic accident that took place at the junction of Selegie Road and Mackenzie Road early Tuesday morning, according to the police.

The accident involved a tour coach and an SBS bus, service number 56.

An eye-witness who called the MediaCorp news hotline said the coach was carrying Chinese passengers.

"There was an SBS bus, and then this tour bus hit the SBS bus from behind,” recounted the eye-witness. “This tour bus had a lot of tourists. And the tourists were on the roadside. A lot of them were injured.

“Then there were two ambulances. But it was very bad, because all the screws and nuts, everything on the floor. There are so many helpers… the Civil Defence Force… the police."

The injured passengers were sent to Alexandra Hospital, the Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Police said they received a call about the accident shortly after 10am.

The accident is under investigation.

- 933 LIVE/yb

virgomal

April 14, 2009
ROJAK FOOD POISONING
Rojak seller to go to court
By Judith Tan


Mr Sheik Allaudin Mohideen (left) will be taken to court by the authorities. -- ST PHOTO: CHOO CHWEE HUA

THE owner of the Indian rojak stall at the centre of Singapore's worst case of mass food poisoning will be taken to court by the authorities.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Health Ministry and NEA said Mr Sheik Allaudin Mohideen's licence will be suspended pending court action.

The food poisoning outbreak that occured two weeks ago struck 154 people after they ate Indian rojak from his stall located at the Geylang Serai Temporary Market.

It also resulted in two deaths.

The cause: Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria, a common cause of food poisoning associated with the consumption of raw or partially cooked seafood.

It was found in 13 cases, including the first death.

On the key question - how the outbreak was caused? - there remains no definitive answer.

Both agencies said that since all the food had been dumped they had had to infer what had happened by comparison with a case from 1983.

The similar outbreak, involving 34 cases, was traced to the consumption of Indian Rojak from a market stall also at Geylang Serai.

The food was prepared at an unlicensed premise at Joo Chiat, where drippings from raw cuttlefish were found to have contaminated the rojak gravy in uncovered containers on the lower shelves of a refrigerator.

sutera_abadi

Tumpang Simpati

Originally posted by virgomal at 14-4-2009 11:32 PM
ROJAK FOOD POISONING
Rojak seller to go to court

rosslyn

me too...kesian...
tapi sapa owner gerai mee siam sebelah dia eh? ade berita psl gerai tu?
gerai tu pun tutup since day 1, mama ni close.

miezarra_27

SENTUHAN ASHLEY BAGI AKSESORI TELEFON BIMBIT


Oleh
Nurulhuda S. M. Albukhari

SELEPAS mengindahkan tin minuman Coca-Cola dengan rekaan yang diberi nama 'Permata dalam tangan anda', Ashley Isham berganding bahu dengan satu lagi jenama antarabangsa.

Pereka terkenal dari Singapura yang menetap di London itu dan Lee Hwa Jewellery akan bekerjasama dengan syarikat Samsung Mobile untuk mereka sebuah aksesori telefon bimbit khas dan untuk amal.

Hasil penjualan aksesori telefon bimbit khas itu akan diberi kepada Yayasan Jantung Singapura (SHF).
Ini kali pertama pereka terkenal, Ashley, yang nama sebenarnya Eshamuddin Ismail, berganding bahu dengan jenama elektronik pengguna.

Rekaan aksesori telefon bimbit itu dijangka meningkatkan lagi daya tarik telefon bimbit Ultra Touch yang dikeluarkan Samsung Mobile.

Tiga daripada set telefon bimbit dan aksesori itu akan dilelong semasa Pesta Fesyen Audi, yang berlangsung di sini dari 6 hingga 10 Mei.

Menurut satu kenyataan Samsung, pihaknya berasa gembira kerana diberi peluang bekerjasama dengan seorang pereka fesyen terkemuka sambil menyokong mereka yang kurang bernasib baik.

Pengarah Pemasaran Strategik, Samsung Asia Pte Ltd, Cik Irene Ng, berkata:
'Kami melihat sinergi yang kuat menggandingkan dua ikon terkemuka Singapura untuk mereka sebuah aksesori yang betul-betul unik.

'Selain itu, gabungan ini dapat memperkuat komitmen Samsung dalam memberi yang terbaik kepada pelanggannya.'
Ashley pula sangat teruja dengan peluang yang telah diberi kepadanya.

'Saya berharap saya dapat menambah gaya tersendiri saya dan memberi telefon bimbit itu satu lagi dimensi fesyen.
'Di samping itu, saya berbangga dapat melakukan kerjasama ini kerana hasil kutipan dapat dimanfaatkan Yayasan Jantung Singapura,' ujar beliau.

Set telefon bimbit khas itu akan dipamer di ruang Samsung semasa pesta fesyen tersebut.
Baru-baru ini, Ashley, pemenang Anugerah Jauhari yang dikeluarkan Berita Harian, diberi penghormatan mereka corak baru bagi botol minuman global Coca-Cola, juga sempena Pesta Fesyen Audi 2009.

Orang ramai berpeluang mengambil bahagian dalam lelong amal telefon bimbit itu semasa pesta fesyen tersebut di kawasan lapang di Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road.

rosslyn

bagus ah dekni...anak melayu yg ade wawasan & very creative.
still tak lupa menyumbang utk kebajikan

virgomal

dorang share same esbok tak silap
sori ros... V tak brapa in dlm kes ni

mungkin ada yang boleh bantu sini

rosslyn

Originally posted by virgomal at 17-4-2009 09:48
dorang share same esbok tak silap
sori ros... V tak brapa in dlm kes ni

mungkin ada yang boleh bantu sini

ooohhh i c...

miezarra_27

jgn2 tu pon dia punya stall... but under different owner's name...
the stall's banner looks similar....

miezarra_27

yes.. he's very down to earth... still speaks Malay.... tak pelat pon....

fatz

ya, ...memang dia punya jugak stall tu...
salu bila beli mi siam...mama tu la yg bungkuskan...
sampai dah kenal...dtg jer..."anak punya tak mau lada kan?...mau berapa bungkus"....

fatz

Originally posted by miezarra_27 at 17-4-2009 09:59
yes.. he's very down to earth... still speaks Malay.... tak pelat pon....

bini dia pun org melayu

miezarra_27

yer ker..???