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SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) will step up its enforcement regime at hawker centres to ensure there are no more lapses in hygiene standards -- which the Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim says can never be compromised.
During a visit to the Geylang Serai market on Friday, Dr Yaacob also stressed he found the recent spate of food poisoning at the Geylang Serai market "outrageous" and "unacceptable".
Dr Yaacob had returned Friday afternoon from an official trip to the Middle East. During the trip, Dr Yaacob received daily briefs from NEA officers on the situation in Singapore.
He said thousands eat out daily and the food poisoning episode can undermine public confidence in hawkers and hawker centres.
He said: "NEA cannot tolerate any sort of lapses. It is totally unacceptable as far as we are concerned. And the government will get to the bottom of this and hold those who are accountable, those who are responsible for this."
Dr Yaacob hopes this will be a wake-up call for all hawkers to improve hygiene standards.
On NEA's part, it has stepped up enforcement action on hawker centres and temporary markets.
This includes conducting more frequent checks on food stalls and for the Geylang Serai market -- getting rid of the rodent problem.
Director-general of public health at NEA, Khoo Seow Poh, said: "We have been working with the management committee, helping them to make sure that the rodent control programme is working well. I think they have put in a lot of effort and our contractor has come in to help."
53 more rats have been caught, making it a total of 122 in just two days.
The NEA says that besides the Geylang Serai temporary market, there are three other such markets - in Ang Mo Kio, Tekka and Queen's Street. But so far none has reported a similar rat problem.
As for the rojak stall which was the cause of the food poisoning, it will remain closed pending the outcome of investigations.
- CNA/yt
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