Source: ST

Hours after two Progress Singapore Party (PSP) politicians had publically speculated on the mainstream media’s silence regarding Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Paul Tambyah’s new role as the President-Elect of the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID), The Straits Times had finally published a report regarding Dr Tambyah’s achievement.

The report was published on the ST website on Wednesday evening (17 June).

The mainstream media platform quoted Dr Tambyah as saying regarding his new position at ISID: “This is a critical time for infectious diseases globally. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought home the fact that viruses do not respect international boundaries. No one is safe anywhere until everyone is safe everywhere.”

“Singapore academics, clinicians and public health professionals have much to contribute to societies such as ISID to help make the world a healthier place for everyone,” Dr Tambyah added.

ST noted in its report that Dr Tambyah is the chairman of SDP.

An article on Dr Tambyah’s new role also appeared in ST’s print edition today (18 June). However, it was discreetly placed at the bottom of Page B4 under the “Home” section.

Source: ST

SDP in a Facebook post on Monday (15 June) disclosed that Dr Tambyah has been elected as the Boston-based Society’s current President-Elect.

The role of the President-Elect entails supporting the president and assuming the role of the president when required. Being on track for the role of the President, Dr Tambyah will be learning the means of operations for the society, and may also chair some committees at the discretion of the president, according to ISID.

“Who say opposition has no talent? We have far more talent outside the government than inside it. More importantly there is diversity as well,” said PSP assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai in a Facebook post on Tuesday (16 June).

Mr Leong questioned if Dr Tambyah’s status as an opposition politician in Singapore is behind the absence of mainstream media reports on the infectious disease expert’s new feat.

“I thought especially with Covid 19, all the talents we have on infectious diseases should be accorded special attention,” he added.

PSP member Brad Bowyer in another Facebook post on Tuesday said that Singapore needs “need more recognition of our national talents on the International stage”.

He added that such talents should be roped into efforts to tackle “a national emergency” when it is proved that their “domain knowledge” fits the bill.

Members of the public have also previously questioned why Dr Tambyah was not included in Singapore’s taskforce for COVID-19, given his internationally-acclaimed expertise as an infectious disease specialist.

Dr Paul Tambyah “well-known to all in the field of infectious diseases”, has “formidable experience across the spectrum of infection”: ISID immediate past president

Dr Tambyah is set to commence his term as President of ISID in 2022.

Currently, Imperial College London infectious disease professor Alison Holmes serves as president of ISID.

Dr Holmes is also a Fellow of the United Kingdom’s Academy of Medical Sciences and a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator.

Marc Mendelson, the immediate past president of ISID, said that Dr Tambyah is “is well-known to all in the field of infectious diseases, and brings a wealth of experience from his time with multiple international societies and august bodies, as well as formidable experience across the spectrum of infection, including outbreaks, tropical medicine, and clinical applied research”.

“He is a go-to speaker on so many topics and currently serves as Chair of the ISID Publications Committee, playing a vital role in the success of our journal IJID [International Journal of Infectious Diseases],” added Dr Mendelson, who is a professor of Infectious Diseases and spearheads the Division of Infectious Diseases & HIV Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Dr Tambyah also currently serves as a professor of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and Senior Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at the National University Hospital.

He is also the immediate past president of the Singapore Society of Infectious Diseases and Secretary-General of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

Among ISID’s notable feats include launching the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (PROMED) in 1994.

PROMED is an online service designed to identify unusual health events related to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and toxins affecting humans, animals and plants, according to ISID.

The service is used daily by international public health leaders, government officials at all levels, physicians, veterinarians and other healthcare workers, researchers, private companies, journalists and the general public.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
8 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

The 5 stars of our flag

Defining the values reflected on our flag. What do these value mean to you? How would you interpret democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality, represented by the 5 stars on our flag?

追讨工资事发五月 “欠薪者乃分包商”

早前在社交媒体广传的四名客工站在联明建筑公司工地前追讨工资照片,经证实乃是发生在今年五月,涉拖欠薪资者乃是该公司合作的一家分包商,与联明建筑无关。 联明建筑公司发言人澄清,有关事件发生在今年五月,四名员工是向有关欠薪的分包商声讨工资,在当天就获得解决。 在记者追问下,发言人仍不愿透露有关分包商姓名,不过指出员工被拖欠的薪资都已被支付。 基于分包商身份未被揭露,我们无法得知后来这四名工友的命运如何。过去有很多类似案例,都显示客工的准证可能被取消并被遣返回国,即便他们有正当理据提出劳资纠纷投诉。 事实上,根据人力资源部的建议,如果雇员面对拖欠或雇主不发薪资,只能透过三方纠纷管理委员会(TADM)提出薪资索偿,或者寻求工会的协助。 根据劳工法,雇主过了发薪期七天后还没有发工资,都是违法的,初犯者可被罚款1万5千新元或监禁高达六个月,或两者兼施。重犯者最高罚款三万元或监禁达一年,或两者兼施。 然而, 如果员工为了声讨薪资或争取权益,聚集进行无准证集会,也可能面对提控,被罚款不超过5千元以及每名参与集会者每人三千元。这意味着,客工面对这类权益被打压的问题,能够申诉的管道实在有限。  

“不怕做正确的事” 李显龙:来届大选将是场硬仗

昨日(10日)人民行动党办65周年党大会及常年服务颁奖典礼,获得约2500名党员出席。 在会上,总理暨行动党秘书长李显龙致词时表示,来届大选将是一场硬仗,攸关新加坡能否继续“由稳定和善治的政府造福国家人民”,而行动党必须致力维护其高标准和贴近民心,继续赢取国人的信任和委托。 他认为许多国家的民众不再相信精英,严重民愤分化社会,故此他呼吁行动党必须贴近民众,守护和珍惜国人赋予的信任。 “精英脱离群众的情况不能在新加坡发生,行动党必须永远是人民的政党,不论是党员或领袖都必须能与人民打成一片和服务人民;政策需聚焦人民需求,让人民受益。” 与此同时,李显龙称尽管不是所有政策都得到国人认同,且一些政策短期内让执政党在政治上失分,惟他认为该党不能为此而害怕为新加坡作出正确决定。 他以总统选举保留机制为例,指出总统是多元族群国家的团结象征,但非华族候选人很难当选,长远而言这种情况会遭传不满和侵蚀我国建国价值观。“我与部长们讨论,也谨慎斟酌。我决定,为了新加坡长远利益,我们必须做出这一根本性改变。” 即便政策不讨好,也要和选民诚实交代,“就拿消费税来说,很少政府会在大选前告诉你要调高税率,我大可推迟决策,或留给未来总理来解决,但我们必须做正确和负责任的事。” 至于王瑞杰也在致词中解释自己日前在国会提出诚信动议的考量,重申阿裕尼-后港市镇会问题严重,反映当选议员诚信,“身为执政党,我们有责任确保新加坡体制的信誉。我们必须并且已经针对这个原则问题采取了明确立场。” 他们在致词中都分别强调此次行动党大会可能是选前最后一次大会。 李光耀曾表示执政党终因选民厌倦而下台 但回溯2011年,在报业控股推出的《新加坡赖以生存的硬道理》,其中已故建国总理李光耀表示到了一个时候,公众会说,“看,我们试试另一方吧,可能是因为行动党的素质已下降,或是反对党已经形成了与行动党势均力敌的团队”。那一天将会来临。 这本经《海峡时报》记者一系列访谈,汇集成书的著作,其中李光耀认为,如果(行动党)素质逐步下降,那么反对党可能以素质崛起,公众是可以感受的到的。…

DPP conducts walkabout at Tanjong Pagar GRC

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) conducted a walkabout this morning at Tanjong…