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Khir Toyo should explain why last year, Selangor has 140% higher incidence of dengue cases than Singapore although both have almost the same population of slightly over 4.1 million people


Speech
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Cheras 11 milestone DAP Branch Chap Goh Meh Chinese New Year Open house 
by Lim Kit Siang

(Balakong,  Saturday): Selangor leads the country as the state which is the worst affected by the dengue epidemic currently raging in the country, with the most number of dengue cases last year, and deserves to be regarded as the "Dengue Black State" in Malaysia.

On 6th January 2003, the Selangor Exco member in charge of health, Datuk Tang See Hang said that until December 14 of last year, there were 8,710 dengue cases and 13 deaths, which well exceeded the next three states with the highest incidence of dengue cases, namely Kuala Lumpur with 6,342 cases and two deaths; Johore with 3,649 cases and 15 deaths and Perak's 2,812 cases and 10 deaths.

Last month, Sin Chew Daily quoted Health Ministry sources as stating that as of 28th December 2002, Selangor last year reported 9,385 dengue cases and 15 deaths, which still led Kuala Lumpur's 6,723 cases and two deaths, Johore's 4,012 cases and 16 deaths and Perak's 3,164 cases and 10 deaths.

The Sun of 11.1.2003 reported that there were a total of 9,380 dengue cases in Selangor last year, with the following breakdown in the state:

Selayang                    1,922
Sibamg Kaua            1,782
Shah Alam                 1,155
Petaling Jaya                829
Ampang Jaya               763
Klang                               37
Kajang                           513
Sabak Bernam             454
Kuala Langat                391
Hulu Selangor               361
Sepang                         339
Klang                             233
Kuala Lumpur               101

Total                           9,380

Although no official figures have been released whether by the Health Ministry or the Selangor State Government, it is indisputable that Selangor was the worst dengue state in the current dengue epidemic with some 9,400 dengue cases last year.

Selangor has almost the same population as Singapore, more than 4.1 million. Last July, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the countries in the region, including Malaysia and Singapore, to take preventive measures against a dengue epidemic which could be as bad as the worst recorded year for dengue epidemic in 1998.

After a rise in the incidence of dengue fever in Singapore in August and September, the Singapore government announced in November that its anti-dengue campaign had successfully brought the dengue outbreak under control. For the whole of last year, Singapore reported a total of 3,937 dengue cases and eight Dengue Haemorrhage Fever (DHF) cases.

Selangor in contrast had some 9,400 dengue cases last year or some 140 per cent higher incidence than Singapore.

The Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo should explain why Selangor has 140% higher incidence of dengue cases than Singapore last year although both have almost the same population of slightly over 4.1 million people, why Singapore's could successful bring the dengue epidemic under control with its anti-dengue campaign while in Selangor, the dengue epidemic has entered an even more critical state than last year - as illustrated by at least five dengue deaths in Taman Nirwana, Ampang which DAP MPs and leaders visited this morning.

(15/2/2003)


* Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman