SINGAPORE: Louis Ng, known for his love for animals and the environment plans to file two parliamentary questions; one pertaining to shark fin and the other to the possibility of imposing a generational ban on smoking in Singapore.
Mr Ng, founder of ACRES – animal concerns research and education society – posted on his social media page that he is ‘FINished with FINS’. He explained that he had stopped eating shark fin soup decades ago, but added that it was still being served in Singapore.
“This is not just an animal welfare issue but a conservation issue too. A previous NUS study uncovered the sale of threatened shark species in Singapore,” said Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Mr Ng.
He found this worrying and questions how transparent is this trade and how does the government ensure that protected species are not being illegally imported into Singapore.
“Next week in Parliament, I will ask what percentage of shark’s fin shipments undergo sampling and DNA analysis to ensure that there are no Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I species of sharks in the shipment,” he shared.
“Separately, I will also ask what training is provided to officers involved in the enforcement of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 2006 and Wildlife Act 1965 and whether they are trained in species identification.”
In 2019, Mr Ng submitted a parliamentary question asking whether shark’s fin is still served at public service events and whether it will continue to be on the menu for future events.
In a written, then Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing said, “Public agencies abide by the procurement principles of fairness, transparency and value-for-money. Agencies decide on their respective menus based on what is prudent and appropriate for the occasion. We do not have policies specific to the serving of shark’s fin.”
Mr Ng will also be raising another issue in parliament which might see our young ones staying away from lighting up a cigarette in Singapore. This comes after New Zealand passed a law recently which banned the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 Jan 2009.
“Next week in Parliament, I will ask (a) whether MOH will conduct a public consultation on a generational ban on smoking; and (b) whether the Ministry will set up a citizens’ workgroup to study the possibility of imposing a generational ban on smoking,” explained environmental activist. /TISG