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Looking Back - Political Milestones Leading to the Birth of the Republic
Making Friends and Defending Our Sovereignty
The Story of an Economic Miracle
Caring for the Nation
Living Together in Harmony |
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CARING FOR THE NATION
The Ministry of Health and Ministry of the Environment were tasked to improve the healthcare system and provide a cleaner and healthier environment for Singaporeans. As the leading causes of death shifted away from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis to lifestyle-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease, campaigns on health awareness were organised.
Source: MICA
Minister for Health, Yong Nyuk Lin, at the “The Truth About Cancer” exhibition at the Victoria Memorial Hall, 1967.
The anti-smoking campaign that we see today has its roots in the “Prohibition on Advertisements Relating to Smoking” and “Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Enclosed Public Places” Acts passed in 1970. Since then, import duties for tobacco products have been raised progressively, graphic warnings printed on cigarette packs, anti-smoking posters disseminated and yearly month-long smoking control campaigns organised to urge smokers to kick the habit. The ban on smoking has also been extended to cover air-conditioned places, pubs and bars, enclosed spaces and certain outdoor areas such as bus-stops and eating places.
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Measures to safeguard environmental health included setting up dedicated units such as the Anti-Pollution Unit within the Prime Minister’s Office, introducing new legislation, public education, public cleansing, and licensing of street hawkers. Residents were also brought in to help maintain a clean and healthy environment through various campaigns such as “Keep Singapore Clean” (1968) and Keep Singapore Pollution-Free (1971).
Source: MEWR Annual Report 1975
The mechanisation of street cleansing in 1972 helped alleviate labour shortage in this area as each sweeper could replace approximately 24 labourers. By 1975, 26 mechanised sweepers were in operation. Larger-capacity refuse collection vehicles and mechanical loading of bulk refuse bins also resulted in further time and labour savings.
Source: NAS
From 1966, makeshift street hawkers were assembled, registered and assigned hawker stalls in markets, hawker centres and shophouses with running water, electricity and proper refuse disposal facilities. Shown here is a temporary hawker centre at old Glutton’s Square, opposite Cold Storage (now Centrepoint), at Orchard Road, 1970. Registered hawkers also had to comply with public health regulations and undergo tests for communicable diseases.
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Source: MICA
The Clean and Green movement was triggered by PM Lee Kuan Yew’s vision in 1967 to transform Singapore into a garden city. The Parks and Trees Unit was formed in June 1967 to spearhead the tree-planting programme and beautify highways, open spaces, road circuses, schools and other public institutions. A Tree Planting Day set on every first Sunday of November also roped in Singaporeans of all ages and backgrounds to plant trees across the island. A record 30,077 plants were planted during the inaugural Tree Planting Day on 7 November 1971, including 7,061 roadside trees and 14,330 shrubs.
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