Daily new cases? Highest in Asia.
Infection per square kilometre of land mass? Highest in the world.
Numbers, truth and reality does not matter in the island dictatorship, according to the ruling party ministers who draw among the world’s highest salaries. Here are some of the statements by these esteemed leaders:
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: “The circuit breaker to limit the spread of the coronavirus here has worked.” – May 20, 2020
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong: “Singapore’s COVID-19 situation may have started to improve.” – May 12, 2020
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong: “The Government is preparing for the next phase and considering what activities can resume in a safe manner.” – May 17, 2020
Manpower Minister Josephine Teo: “We should not be overly alarmed.” – May 14, 2020
Unlinked infections, so-called community cases and infection in foreign worker dormitories are still untamed, but with both their feets stuck in mud, the Singapore PAP government turned a blind eye, making bold announcements like reopening up the airport, opening schools and businesses by June 2.
No country is as reckless as the Singapore PAP government today, for their governments are actually abiding medical advice to the dot. In Singapore’s case, the political leaders are putting hats of epidemiology experts and drafting their own exit plan.
Today, Singapore is a laughing stock. Bloomberg called the country “a virus hero turned cautionary tale”. Australia media mocked it as “once an envy of the world, now one of the biggest failures today”. Japanese media flatly noted the World Health Organisation’s praising and Singapore’s dicatorship:
“一方、シンガポールと同じく強権的な国家体制で、共産党一党独裁のベトナムは人口が約九千六百万人で、感染者は三百人余りにとどまる”
Translate: Despite Singapore being an oppressive dictatorship with strong government controls, Vietnam’s Communist Government had only around 300 infection with a 96 million population.
Singapore rose to its standing where result proved everything, and there is no better measure of success than the figures reported. But let’s be clear: there is no bullying, Singapore have itself to blame for making baseless boastings in the first place.
Recently, the Singapore government claimed that a local research found that COVID-19 patients are no longer infectious after 11 days. This drew rampant mockeries from China citizens and its media.
Weibo users laughed at Singapore’s claim, calling it ludicrous. Many said “talk is easy” and one said Singapore should try first and let the world know how it goes a month later.
Chinese media Sina wrote in its headlines, “新加坡研究称新冠患者发病11天后不再有传染力” (translate: Singapore self-proclaim COVID patients no longer infectious after 11 days).
Alex Tan
STR Editor