Your friend in Singapore has written to you to inform you that his cousin in Penang was

down with dengue fever. He would like to know the situation in Malaysia as he plans to
bring his family over for the holidays in June. Write a letter to brief him about the current
situation.

In your letter, include the following:

express concern over the health of your friend’s cousin

news about the situation

steps taken authorities

present situation

Do remember to:

use the informal letter format

use all the points given

expand each of the points given

write in paragraph

1st paragraph: Greeting - express concern over the health of your friend’s cousin

2nd paragraph: Neighbour’s daughter - could not sit UPSR because of dengue - take
UPSR at hospital

3rd paragraph: 30% of 1500 case is student – Health ministry - check on aedes -
breeding – school – public areas- construction sites – getting worse –
raining season

4th paragraph: various step taken – Fogging - contractor – clean up –fined up to

RM3000 - campaign –multimedia – aware of issue – precautions –

5th paragragh: school clean up campaign – residents’ association - family clean up day
– lots of rubbish – night market.

6th paragraph: situation has improved – no new case – can bring family for holiday –
closing
How are you? I’m sorry to hear that your cousin had dengue fever. This problem
seems to have become very serious all of sudden. We always feel that the problem is
not our concern until someone close to us is affected.

My neighbour’s daughter who was in Standard 6 last year could not sit for UPSR
examination because she was down with dengue fever on the eve of the exam.
Fortunately, the authorities gave her an exemption so she is now in Form One. There
were also a few students taking the examination in the hospital.

According to the news, students made up nearly 30 per cent of the 1 500 suspected
cases over the first three weeks of the year. About 53 per cent of 621 confirmed
cases last year comprised children and youth under the age of 24. These statistics
are quite worrying. This has prompted the health ministry to increase checks on
aedes breeding grounds in school and public areas. The construction sites are largely
to blamed. The problem is made worse by the rainy season. The stagnating water
attract the mosquitoes to lay egg and breeding on the areas.

The authorities have taken various steps to control the situation. Fogging has been
carried out in many public areas and most of the housing estates. Contractors at the
construction sites have been instructed to take appropriate actions and warned to
clean up. They could be fined up to RM 3 000 for breeding aedes mosquitoes. Lot of
campaigns through the television, radio and newspapers were taken to make people
aware of the issue and take precaution rather than cure them.

Before the long holidays for the Chinese New Year, schools all over Malaysia carried
out a clean-up campaign of the school compound. The residents’ association in my
housing are also organised a family day clean-up of the housing estate. There were
huge piles of rubbish especially old tyres and containers littered by the hawkers near
the might market site.

The situation in Malaysia has improved since the end of January. There have been no
reports of new cases of dengue. So, don’t worry. You can bring your family for a
holiday here in June. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.