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Rebut Malaysia's SARS accusations !!!

Yes, I agree completely with one reader's comments in the Straits Times newspaper forum today, about the nonsensical and irresponsible outbursts from the Malaysian officials regarding SARS and Singapore. Seems that their government officials and ministers are also not capable of reading and understanding international agreements, and old habits die hard.

I have seen for myself on TV, at one of the Malaysian news announcements, where their Health Ministry official seemed to imply that a recent local case of SARS infection was not spread from within the country, since that infected person "visited Singapore frequently". It is typical of the Malaysian behaviour of making un-substantiated claims and jealousy of Singapore's success and efficiency in handling the situation.

Refer to the Singapore Government's SARS rebuttal website, which has put all the recent Malaysian allegations to shame. It surely makes the Malaysian Health officials look like fools. They do not seem to know what they are doing, and are constantly trying to put the blame on someone else (and they enjoy picking on Singapore if possible) other than themselves, for not being able to handle the situation!


Transborder SARS control, Singapore-Malaysia

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
A summary of the SARS cases to date in Singapore :-

Discharged: 161
Hospitalised: 9 (including 7 in intensive care)
Deaths: 28
Total Probable Cases: 206*
Total under Home Quarantine Orders: 528
*includes 1 case who died from non-SARs causes


There was a new SARS case confirmed on 18th May, bringing the total cases to 206, and dashing hopes of Singapore being declared SARS free by WHO, just short of the 20 days with "no new SARS cases" criteria.
The patient is Mr. Lee Chong Kian, a 39-year-old man who works as a Quantity Surveyor at two construction sites; one at Bukit Gombak near the Gombak MRT Station and another at Bedok North near to Block 78. He travelled frequently to Malaysia.

Mr Lee, who has been admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) since 11 May 2003, was diagnosed to have probable SARS on 18th May.
The patient became unwell on 5 May 2003 and was admitted to TTSH on 11 May 2003. On admission to TTSH, his chest X-ray showed early changes of pneumonia. He had a history of travel to Malaysia on 18 April, 1 May and 5 May 2003. However, he did not have any known contact with SARS cases in Singapore. Therefore it is very likely that Mr Lee contracted SARS in Malaysia, and confirms my original suspicions that the disease is rampant there and that the Malaysian authorities are probably trying to hide the fact that there is unchecked spread of SARS in that country; very similar to what was happening in China and Taiwan in the early days of the disease. The truth will be known one day, when things really go out of control in Malaysia too.

In addition, the Singapore Ministry of Health has decided to put out a public appeal for contacts of Mr Lee (the patient) in Singapore. However will probably not get any response to this appeal from Malaysia.

WHO Travel Advisories are still in effect for travel to the following countries, which do not have this disease under control yet :- China, HK and Taiwan ...

SARS website
SARS in Singapore, CNA
Country breakdown, CNN