THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1980
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MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
HIGHER ELECTRICITY CHARGES AND HIGHER PRICES FOR KEROSENE AND LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS CAUSED THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT TO RISE SUBSTANTIALLY BY 31 POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY 26 POINTS IN CPI (B).
THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR DECREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI (B) DUE TO LOWER PRICES FOR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S OUTERCLOTHING ITEMS.
FOLLOWING HIGHER PRICES FOR GENUINE JEWELLERY, MEDICINES, SOAP AND DETERGENTS, THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS ROSE BY ONE POINT IN CPI (A) AND BY FOUR POINTS IN CPI (B).
THE TWO-POINT RISE IN THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES IN BOTH CPI (A) AND CPI (B) WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER PRICES FOR PETROL AND OIL, AND HIGHER CHARGES FOR PUBLIC LIGHT BUS FARES AND DRIVING INSTRUCTORS' FEES.
THE INDEX FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI (A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI (B) BECAUSE OF HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND HAIR-DRESSING,
PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER COMMODITY SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
CBE FOR DR K L THONG
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON THONG KAH-LEONG HAS BEEN AWARDED THE COMMANDER ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE) BY THE QUEEN.
DR THONG WAS BORN IN PENANG. HE WAS EDUCATED IN SINGAPORE AND AT HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNING TO SINGAPORE TO JOIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE THERE.
AFTER QUALIFYING, HE SPECIALISED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE. HE GAINED A DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA AND LATER BECAME A FELLOW OF THE FACULTY OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGES OF LONDON, EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW.
HE ACTED AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IN SINGAPORE AND IN 1969 WAS AWARDED THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MEDAL.
IN 1970 HE WAS APPOINTED PRINCIPAL MEDICAL AND HEALTH OFFICER IN HONG KONG AND PROMOTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN 1972. HE PLAYED A LEADING PART IN INTEGRATING FAMILY PLANNING INTO THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PROGRAMME AND WAS, FOR A TIME, OFFICIAL VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.
DR THONG WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN 1977 AND HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION AND RATIONAL ISATION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, AND FOR A LARGE SCALE PROGRAMME AIMED AT STANDARDISING THE SCOPE AND QUALITY OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND AIDED HOSPITALS.
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