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Ten cleaners, 4 GROs receive award for green effort

SINGAPORE — Eight years after being retrenched from her office job, Madam Foo Mee Wan started working as a cleaner at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre to support her family.

Minister Grace Fu with Mr David Ong, Ms Low Yen Ling, Mr Tan Wu Meng and Mdm Rahayu Mahzam as they visit a booth at the South West Clean and Green SG50 Carnival where the Cool CC programme was launched, on Oct 4, 2015. Photo: Jason Quah

Minister Grace Fu with Mr David Ong, Ms Low Yen Ling, Mr Tan Wu Meng and Mdm Rahayu Mahzam as they visit a booth at the South West Clean and Green SG50 Carnival where the Cool CC programme was launched, on Oct 4, 2015. Photo: Jason Quah

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SINGAPORE — Eight years after being retrenched from her office job, Madam Foo Mee Wan started working as a cleaner at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre to support her family.

“I started about a year ago. I had no choice; my husband couldn’t work, so I decided to take up this job because the hawker centre was looking for cleaners,” Mdm Foo, 68, said.

“It’s walking distance from where I live, so I save time and transport.”

She spends seven days a week, from 7am to 3pm, cleaning tables, collecting dirty plates and utensils as well as distributing cleaned ones back to the respective hawkers.

Her efforts in the past year were recognised today (Oct 4) under the Clean and Green 2015 Awards as she received the Best Cleaner (Hawker Centres) award.

She was she one of 10 cleaners and four grassroots organisations noted for their “commendable contributions” towards environmental sustainability and public health in the South West District.

“I was surprised when (my manager) told me I had been nominated and would be receiving this award,” she said. “As long as I feel that I can work, I’ll continue. I have formed friendships with other cleaners and stallholders.”

Among the other award recipients was Hong Kah North Constituency, which was commended for being the Most Active Constituency in planning and implementing green initiatives. The constituency’s Green Committee is particularly active in the area of waste minimisation and recycling.

“We’ve done a lot of recycling since 2001 because (Member of Parliament) Amy Khor is a very strong proponent of this,” said Mr Tan Kin Teo, who leads the Green Committee.

He added that Residents’ Committees run a weekly cash-for-trash programme in which residents can exchange used cooking oil and other recyclables for cash.

Hong Kah North is also one of nine Community Clubs (CCs) that have signed up for the Cool CCs @ South West programme.

Mr Tan, who is the Community Club Management Committee’s vice chairman, said one of the CC’s plans is to install more LED lights to save energy.

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