Sim Ann on delayed removal of fridge dumped in Clementi Forest

A fridge that was dumped in Clementi Forest was not removed by the authorities due to a “miscommunication between (Government) agencies”, said Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann in Parliament on Monday (May 8). Giving details in response to an MP’s questions, she said the National Parks Board (NParks) was first alerted to the case in March 2022 through the OneService app and sought to arrange for the fridge to be removed. However, due to miscommunication, this did not happen and the case was closed prematurely. There was also “no follow-through” to check that the fridge had indeed been cleared. On being notified a second time, nearly a year later, NParks worked with the National Environment Agency to remove the fridge in April 2023. Ms Sim said “lapses in communication and coordination between agencies sometimes occur”. She said the Municipal Services Office has been working with relevant agencies to strengthen inter-agency coordination. This is done through staff training to ensure that feedback involving multiple agencies is referred correctly through the inter-agency feedback management system. Agencies are also asked to close straightforward cases only when works are completed on the ground. Ms Sim said there had been two instances of feedback on improper disposal of bulky electronic waste in forested areas which agencies acted on between January 2021 and March this year.