Covid Situation in SG discussion (compiled)

[Rugbywhite]

Nothing wrong with external review of the data to rule out a Singapore variant, better safe than sorry no? all in this together no?

[singalion]

 

The starting point was actually this post:

On 5/17/2021 at 8:32 PM, Rugbywhite said:

You had my full attention until you went and ended it with a sentence in complete contradiction to reality. Compared to all developed nations Singapore is doing very badly on vaccinating the population.

 

Which stands in clear contradiction to facts and simply is not justified if you look at the data.

The poster's statement "compared to all developed nations Singapore is doing very badly on vaccinating the population" is false.

It does not stand with the facts where Singapore is ranked within the top 25 of all nations.

 

The person who posted above statement just did not want to admit that his statement is actually contradicting reality and cannot not stand with facts.

 

After it was clear that his statement was wrong, he came up with irrelevant side issues that I am confusing opinion, assumptions with facts, later I am back tracking and other sorts.

 

Until now, he has never substantiated any of his allegations against me. When I asked for it, he kept quiet or used the way of throwing it back on me but not responding to his allegations or coming with details.

 

My only purpose was to clarify for everyone that above statement made "Compared to all developed nations Singapore is doing very badly on vaccinating the population"  in plainly wrong.

 

Singapore is not doing a bad job in vaccinating the population compared to other developed nations. Because all public available facts say otherwise.

Singapore is within the top group in vaccinating it's people.

 

My own opinion or conclusion, Singapore is not as bad compared to other nations in regard to vaccinating the population comes close to the results in the published rankings, where you find Singapore within the top 25.

 

Lastly, as many others here, I very much dislike if someone's last means in a conversation is resorting to insults and personal attacks and starting to infer attacks on the person rather than the subject. Such person would always lose my complete sympathy. Surely, they won't gain my respect.

There was no need by this poster to bring in alleged "shortcomings" or to start insulting me.

 

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Good that they think there's a SG strain, best go viral in their motherland and deter them from swarming our shores. Maybe persuade those here to go back to escape this strain also.

[Rugbywhite]

7 minutes ago, singalion said:

 

The starting point was actually this post:

 

Which stands in clear contradiction to facts and simply is not justified if you look at the data.

The poster's statement "compared to all developed nations Singapore is doing very badly on vaccinating the population" is false.

It does not stand with the facts where Singapore is ranked within the top 25 of all nations.

 

The person who posted above statement just did not want to admit that his statement is actually contradicting reality and cannot not stand with facts.

 

After it was clear that his statement was wrong, he came up with irrelevant side issues that I am confusing opinion, assumptions with facts, later I am back tracking and other sorts.

 

Until now, he has never substantiated any of his allegations against me. When I asked for it, he kept quiet or used the way of throwing it back on me but not responding to his allegations or coming with details.

 

My only purpose was to clarify for everyone that above statement made "Compared to all developed nations Singapore is doing very badly on vaccinating the population"  in plainly wrong.

 

Singapore is not doing a bad job in vaccinating the population compared to other developed nations. Because all public available facts say otherwise.

Singapore is within the top group in vaccinating it's people.

 

My own opinion or conclusion, Singapore is not as bad compared to other nations in regard to vaccinating the population comes close to the results in the published rankings, where you find Singapore within the top 25.

 

Lastly, as many others here, I very much dislike if someone's last means in a conversation is resorting to insults and personal attacks and starting to infer attacks on the person rather than the subject. Such person would always lose my complete sympathy. Surely, they won't gain my respect.

There was no need by this poster to bring in alleged "shortcomings" or to start insulting me.

 

 

 

 

Latterly everyone else on this site moved on to topics that are relevant, you still seem to have a need to make everything about you though. 

 

Time to move on sweetpea, your screaming into the wind

[singalion]

Here is a collateral to the surge of Covid infections in the recent days:

 

World Economic Forum scraps in-person meeting in Singapore

FT May 17 2021

 

Gathering had been moved from Switzerland but Covid concerns have flared in Asian city state

 

The World Economic Forum has been forced to scrap its plans for an in-person annual meeting again, cancelling a gathering planned for August in Singapore as new Covid-19 outbreaks prompted the city state to impose new restrictions.

 

“Regretfully, the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination rollout and the uncertainty around new variants combine to make it impossible to realise a global meeting . . . at the scale which was planned,” the WEF said on Monday.

 

The forum’s annual gathering of executives and policymakers usually takes place in Davos, Switzerland, in January, but the WEF had already delayed it and moved it in the hope of keeping delegates safe. Last October it had decided the annual meeting would be in Lucerne in May and then last December it changed the venue to Singapore and the date to August.

 

“It was a difficult decision, particularly in view of the great interest of our partners to come together not just virtually but in person,” said Klaus Schwab, the WEF’s founder. The forum said it would now hold its next annual meeting “in the first half of 2022”, but would not decide on the location and date until later this summer.

 

The cancellation comes a day after Singapore reimposed stringent distancing measures following a jump in Covid-19 cases.

 

On Sunday it banned in-person restaurant dining and limited social gatherings to two people after reporting new clusters of infections in recent weeks, including one at Changi airport that could involve the more easily transmissible B.1.617.2 coronavirus variant that was first discovered in India. A separate cluster at a Singaporean hospital includes this variant.

 

Singapore on Monday also deferred a travel bubble with Hong Kong that was set to open on May 26 “in light of the recent increase in unlinked community cases”, its transport ministry said in a statement. This is the second time an attempt to resume flights between the Asian financial hubs has been delayed. The resurgence of infections in Singapore follows months of single-digit or no locally transmitted daily infections.

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

25 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

Nothing wrong with external review of the data to rule out a Singapore variant, better safe than sorry no? all in this together no?

 

All in WHAT together, exactly? Baseless accusation?

 

Sure, external review of the data can be done, but for what purpose? To disprove malicious slander?

 

For someone who could see through @singalion issues within a single day, you sure seems to be missing the entire forest for the trees this time. Whose side are you on? Those making baseless malicious slanderous accusations? 

[Rugbywhite]

Just now, Guest Guest said:

 

All in WHAT together, exactly? Baseless accusation?

 

Sure, external review of the data can be done, but for what purpose? To disprove malicious slander?

 

For someone who could see through @singalion issues within a single day, you sure seems to be missing the entire forest for the trees this time. Whose side are you on? Those making baseless malicious slanderous accusations? 

Hi person hiding...

 

China 2019, nothing to see here, all baseless accusations, then what happened. 

 

Like @singalion just screaming into the wind doesn't help, show reason, science, facts, data, then there is no continuance.

[Steve5380]

27 minutes ago, Guest Guest said:

Good that they think there's a SG strain, best go viral in their motherland and deter them from swarming our shores. Maybe persuade those here to go back to escape this strain also.

 

This can be done easily if Singapore women start doing their house work instead of hiring cheap maids,  and Singapore men fold up their sleeves and start doing REAL WORK instead of  shuffling papers in an office.

[Guest Guest]

4 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

Hi person hiding...

 

China 2019, nothing to see here, all baseless accusations, then what happened. 

 

Like @singalion just screaming into the wind doesn't help, show reason, science, facts, data, then there is no continuance.

 

Sure, get the Indians to show the "reason, science, facts, data" , otherwise there is no continuance. Why should the victim be the one to disprove something non-existent?

 

You say @singalion screaming into the wind is not helping, but you support the Indians in their screams of empty accusations? Where is your logic in all these? Lost in the wind all of a sudden when it comes to supporting the Indians? Or has Singaporeans become too convenient a punching bag for you to use ever since you came? 

 

What's next? Sri Lankan variant? Russian variant? Palestinian variant? Israeli variant? Will you also be telling those countries to "show the "reason, science, facts, data" because the Indians said so?? 

[Guest Goulash Which Is Very Posh]

12 hours ago, Nightingale said:

Too bad that in your haste to slander me, you have overlooked what I wrote earlier. It's not the first or second or last time I did show concern about the non-PRC workers here: But you did clearly state you wanted all PRCs out of Sg without presenting feasible alternatives as to how to replace them. And your insulting remarks about those from other countries. As usual, you will say I am not THAT Guest who said these.

 

You need to spend less time getting brainwashed by China media, and more time reading through threads here on Blowing Wind, and you would clearly see THAT Guest spent the last few days falsely accusing me of being Guest 2003 and falsely (I assume) accusing him of being Guest Loquacious Larry Laminator. Now you are accusing me of being THAT Guest, so since you are using the same distractics (distractionary tactics) as him, I guess I should falsely accuse you of being him as well?

 

The simple truth, Nightingale, is that you are constantly making pro China posts, and many of your posts do come across as anti Singapore. Maybe you can argue that is not your intent, but it IS your result, and that is reality. Nobody has patience to see Devil's Advocate rubbish all the time (or ever). If you want to be less irritating to readers who might otherwise agree with you, stop filling up a Singapore website with countless posts promoting China, which is NOT our country and never will be!

 

Quite frankly, I don't care where the vaccines come from, as long as they are real vaccines which can protect people from the virus. Of course certain countries are more open about how they create vaccines and various medical treatments, while certain other countries have never been open about almost anything, so they can only blame themselves if the rest of the world is hesitant to trust them. Nobody can be sure that today is different than yesterday, and that is all their fault, not ours!

[Rugbywhite]

2 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

Sure, get the Indians to show the "reason, science, facts, data" , otherwise there is no continuance. Why should the victim be the one to disprove something non-existent?

 

You say @singalion screaming into the wind is not helping, but you support the Indians in their screams of empty accusations? Where is your logic in all these? Lost in the wind all of a sudden when it comes to supporting the Indians? Or has Singaporeans become too convenient a punching bag for you to use ever since you came? 

 

What's next? Sri Lankan variant? Russian variant? Palestinian variant? Israeli variant? Will you also be telling those countries to "show the "reason, science, facts, data" because the Indians said so?? 

 I'd love to engage with you but seeing as you feel so ashamed of your opinions that you need to hide behind a guest account I don't feel like I should help in your trauma

[Guest seethru]

2 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

All in WHAT together, exactly? Baseless accusation?

 

Sure, external review of the data can be done, but for what purpose? To disprove malicious slander?

 

For someone who could see through @singalion issues within a single day, you sure seems to be missing the entire forest for the trees this time. Whose side are you on? Those making baseless malicious slanderous accusations? 

 

This is surely no surprise. 

 

For someone like you who the Moderators of BW dedicated the whole Flaming Room, anyone not very familiar at BW would need years to see through all your issues.

 

Afterwards he should be barking into the forest in pain and disbelief.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

3 hours ago, Steve5380 said:

This can be done easily if Singapore women start doing their house work instead of hiring cheap maids,  and Singapore men fold up their sleeves and start doing REAL WORK instead of  shuffling papers in an office.

 

Ignoramus.

[Steve5380]

41 minutes ago, Guest Guest said:

 

Ignoramus.

 

 

There is no human on earth who has not started as an ignoramus,  but 

but you are so persistently and rise ignorance to a new height:  buffoonery  

 

Constant buffoonery display of ignorance Is humorous!  Thank you.

.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Steve5380

[Guest Goulash Which Is Very Posh]

5 hours ago, Nightingale said:

Delusions ... Excuses ... Fantasies ... Gaslighting ... Hogwash ... Insanity.

 

Play your word games somewhere else because they don't fly around here. You were not providing facts. You were providing flawed opinions and devious conspiracy theories. There is a big difference. You don't know me or what media I consume, but I don't rely only on Western media, I look at a variety of sources from around the world. What I never rely on, however, is any state-controlled media.

 

You can throw out all the "what ifs" you want -- but I deal in "what is" -- not hypotheticals. China has more than a billion people and doesn't need you "defending their honor" on a Singapore website. I have read enough of your posts to see exactly how you operate, and I have a very long memory, including how you tried to amplify a conspiracy theory last year of the US planting CoViD-19 in China.

 

Nobody is trying to suppress well-intentioned comments or opinions, but baseless conspiracy theories aimed at making your actual favorite country appear to be a victim are rubbish, and you know it. You never hesitate to defend China and interject pro China viewpoints into this website, even at the expense of Singaporeans, but we never see you posting defenses or promotions of Singapore.

[Guest Guest]

8 hours ago, Rugbywhite said:

 I'd love to engage with you but seeing as you feel so ashamed of your opinions that you need to hide behind a guest account I don't feel like I should help in your trauma

 

And for some reasons, you actually think anyone would like to engage someone whose pride is exhibited by the show of an albino hairy ape's body in shorts? Now... That is traumatic. 

[Guest Guest]

8 hours ago, Guest seethru said:

 

This is surely no surprise. 

 

For someone like you who the Moderators of BW dedicated the whole Flaming Room, anyone not very familiar at BW would need years to see through all your issues.

 

Afterwards he should be barking into the forest in pain and disbelief.

 

Is my English so bad in the morning that I can't seem to grasp what you are trying to say.

 

But it seems that Guests should be proud of themselves that there is a Flaming Room dedicated to them, just like the members getting their Members Lounge. 

 

And who's barking into the forest in pain and disbelief? The Moderators? 

 

Gosh....instead of spending years to be such a busybody trying to see through other people's issues, go spend those time to brush up on your own English, will you? 

[Guest Guest]

30 minutes ago, Since u r here said:

Let’s make pc!

 

Pls note when using certain choice of words https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/pofma-covid-19-singapore-variant-facebook-twitter-hardwarezone-14843832?cid=FBcna&fbclid=IwAR3fmAUUJZ2ZNb08fG1S_3wMvr-z7Mo--hXal9w93dvkc8H37FRPNreb_1U

 

 

And yet, the Indians were not POFMA'ed because they were given a chance to respond and MFA find their response "satisfactory"? 

[Guest Guest]

If WHO can call it a UK variant, A South African variant, a Brazil variant, why should we be PC about it and use its scientific name? We can call it an INDIAN VARIANT if we want to. 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

1 hour ago, Nightingale said:

That's Tuesday afternoon on page 7.  Then Singalion posted another on China vaccine not reliable with side effects.  Again I responded to explain about politicisation. 

 

You responded to explain about politicization?? But yet, you didn't mention that China was playing vaccine politics by sending notes to all foreign embassies, informing them that vaccinated foreigners gets accelerated visa approvals, but only if they do so with the Chinese vaccine? You tried to hide that politics? And you need that to be brought up by some other guests, and not YOU? And that is what you say you "explain about politicisation", you PRC-CRONY? 

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

1 hour ago, Nightingale said:

 

So when USA or India do the same, it isn't vaccine politics?  Do you think all donations are absolutely free without unwritten obligations - whatever country is may be?  Why do you choose to be so naive?

 

What did USA and India do the same? Did they insist on using their own version of the vaccine before visa application can be accelerated? Please show your source of information. 

 

Still trying to distract everyone from the fact that the PRCs were playing vaccine politics by forcing people to use their version of their vaccine??  And you claim you are trying to respond by talking about politicization, when the vaccine politics played by the PRC were glaringly missing from your response. How can that not be the doings of a PRC-crony? 

 

Are you another "Dickson Yeo Jun Wei", the Singaporean and a spy assisting People's Republic of China (China) to spy on other countries? 

[singalion]

21 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

Because according to HSK, they are also part of the CECAporean "core" so they can come and go to visit relatives as they please. 

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/emerging-stronger-taskforce-avoid-narrow-definition-of-singapore-core-says-dpm-heng

 

🎼 We are CECA-pore, CECA-pore Indians 🎵

🎼 We are CECA-pore, CECA-pore Indiaaaaaaans 🎵

(and I bet someone in "Motherland" also wrote the lyrics to this song in maybe 1970s again) 

 

 

 

 

 

Such posts achieve nothing but only cause hatred against different communities within the Singapore society.

 

If Singapore gives citizenship to people, then you can't name them down or treat them as second class citizens.

 

 

The Straits Times Oct 14, 2020,

SINGAPORE - About 31,700 people were given Singapore permanent resident status each year over the past five years, and their number has remained stable, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah.

And there have been about 22,100 new citizens every year on average over the same period, including about 1,600 children born overseas yearly to Singaporean parents, she added.

 

 

 

22,100 new citizens (minus 1600 makes it to 20,500) per year are a danger to Singaporeans?

 

If you take a closer look at the statistics, two third of the new citizens are previous PRs from Malaysia.

 

 

What the Deputy Minister Heng tried to explain is, there is a danger for Singapore being less attractive for start up entrepreneurs, if you implement too much preference to Singaporeans in regard to the work force. There must be a "reasonable" balance, otherwise Singapore will lose out to other nations for such entrepreneurs (holding foreign nationality) to set up here. Many companies or new set ups are struggling to find certain talent in niche areas.

 

DPM Heng:

SINGAPORE - The "Singapore core" should not be too narrowly defined in terms of whether someone is Singapore-born, a new citizen, or a foreigner who is helming a company, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday (May 17). "That test for us must be the commitment to Singapore, the commitment to the well-being of Singapore and of Singaporeans," he said.

 

Actually I fail to understand this focus on Indians or negative connotations on Indians.

 

If you want numbers, ask your MP or an opposition MP to ask for the numbers of Indian nationals (excluding worker pass holder = the construction workers) in Singapore or to release statistics on these numbers.

 

Those critical fail to see or understand how many foreign investments in Singapore created jobs for locals.

Without these foreign owned companies, the job situation for Singaporeans would look very dire.

 

The local owned companies do not create sufficient jobs for Singaporeans.

 

If you fail to understand this and what FDI means, then you just never understood what nation LKY built up on red dot island and the principles founded on this nation building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by singalion

[Guest Guest]

 

 

49 minutes ago, Nightingale said:

But since you used the word "insist", so here are 2 links on the "stick" part which you have missed (deliberately?).  Others may have already read it, so you are forcing me to repeat myself:

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/pfizer-wants-india-to-order-covid-19-vaccine-before-pursuing-approval

 

https://youtu.be/2zoSSHx9QtA

 

For goodness sake, if you're so poor in literacy or reading skills, follow carefully what I have written before you try to find fault and shoot your mouth off.

 

And you know why Pfizer pulled out from India and insisted that they wanted India to place the order first before they proceed? It was simply because of India demanded a local safety and immunogenicity study, for which there are already provisions under India’s rules to be waived such trials in certain conditions. https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-pfizer-idUSKBN2A50GE

 

And yet, India still insisted on pursuing such trials even while hundreds and thousands of them are falling dead right now? Why should a commercial company like Pfizer waste their time, effort and money to conduct such studies when the country itself couldn't care for the urgency? Thank goodness for Indian's insistence, Pfizer can now deliver their vaccines to people who would want it more, and without those trials too. If the Indians feel that the trials are so important to their own well-being, then they can just go ahead to pay for those vaccine and do those studies themselves.

 

This is simple logic; Why is this politics? 

 

 

49 minutes ago, Nightingale said:

You are putting words into my mouth again.  When did I say "insist"?  You mentioned vaccine politics.  So I question the double standards - why when other countries donate, it is ok but when China donates, you cast a negative comment?  Did you not read what I wrote previously?  Anyway, the visa application is just a carrot.  If you don't want, China cannot force you. 

 

Trying to split hairs now?? Yes, China insisted on using their own version of the vaccine before visa application can be accelerated.  No China-made vaccine, no acceleration of visa application. Comprehendo? 

 

For goodness sake, using your own words, if you're so poor in literacy or reading skills, follow carefully what I have written before you try to find fault and shoot your mouth off. 

 

But of course, we know what you are up to: This is your usual distraction tactic from the fact that you are a PRC-crony who tried to obfuscate and hide the vaccine politics played by the PRCs, by hair-splitting over the choice of word "insisted" and diverting our attention away using the Indian situation, and all the while trying to up-play whatever non-existent COVID-19 politics in other countries. 

 

But not to worry, I will consistently remind everyone to focus on the fact that you are nothing more than a 叛徒走狗卖国贼. And you run a bigger risk than Dickson Yeo Jun Wei because he has been exposed and jailed, while you are still an instrument of the PRC at large here, spreading all the PRC propaganda in Singapore! 

 

 

[LeanMature]

21 hours ago, stock-top said:

It's good to "slander" Singapore to distract my fellow Indians of my own stupidity and incompetence. That's politics my friend! 😉

 

Right, a cheap shot from an incompetent politician to cover up his shortcomings.  Singapore become the punching bag.

[Rugbywhite]

7 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

And for some reasons, you actually think anyone would like to engage someone whose pride is exhibited by the show of an albino hairy ape's body in shorts? Now... That is traumatic. 

Clearly you do.

 

Should we assume that your racism is you speaking for your country, or just your cowardly self?

 

If only you had got a better education you would see the hilarious irony in calling a human an ape and thinking it's an insult.

 

Shame you have no valid points to bring to any conversation so just derail threads with things you think are insulting.

[Rugbywhite]

Dose make one wonder why it's in the internal press with Singaporeans saying that some measures were taken to late and that the slow vaccine roll out is due to not having enough, but in the local "Press" it's all tumble weeds.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57153195

[Guest Guest]

59 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

Clearly you do.

 

Should we assume that your racism is you speaking for your country, or just your cowardly self?

 

If only you had got a better education you would see the hilarious irony in calling a human an ape and thinking it's an insult.

 

Shame you have no valid points to bring to any conversation so just derail threads with things you think are insulting.

 

How is addressing you as an albino hairy ape in shorts any firm of racism, especially since you do not even find it offensive to be called an ape? 

 

Shame you have no valid points to bring to any conversation so just derail threads with things you think are insulting.

 

39 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

Dose make one wonder why it's in the internal press with Singaporeans saying that some measures were taken to late and that the slow vaccine roll out is due to not having enough, but in the local "Press" it's all tumble weeds.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57153195

 

Sending the Indians back to their home country to get their own vaccination against our "Singapore variant" might be helpful in managing our vaccination drive. And if this is deemed racist, it's simply because they reap what they sow, and there's nobody else to blame on this. 

[Rugbywhite]

1 minute ago, Guest Guest said:

 

How is addressing you as an albino hairy ape in shorts any firm of racism, especially since you do not even find it offensive to be called an ape? 

 

Shame you have no valid points to bring to any conversation so just derail threads with things you think are insulting.

 

 

Sending the Indians back to their home country to get their own vaccination against our "Singapore variant" might be helpful in managing our vaccination drive. And if this is deemed racist, it's simply because they reap what they sow, and there's nobody else to blame on this. 

Can't believe I'm being drawn in by someone to sacred to post from their own account but...

 

It's not an insult to be called an ape because humans are apes. #scienceisfun

 

To claim you aren't racist and then go on to be more racist is an odd way to try and prove your point.

 

Be proud of your hate, get an account rather than lurk in the shadows like a weirdo

[singalion]

 

Hm, maybe the government should start reading the Opinion pages at their one and only main Newspaper???

 

What a great journalism from BBC...

 

It's a smack into the face of ...

 

--------------------------------------------

Covid-19: What went wrong in Singapore and Taiwan?

By Yvette Tan, BBC News, 20 May 2021

Cracks in the wall: Singapore

In Singapore however, it was a different story.

 

Measures here have always been stringent despite low cases - public gatherings were kept to a maximum of eight, clubs have not been allowed to open and there is still a cap on mass gatherings like weddings.

 

But there were still gaps in its vaccine playbook, and by late May, Singapore's Changi Airport - which also boasts a popular shopping centre - had turned into the country's biggest Covid cluster this year.

 

Authorities later found out that a number of infected airport staff had been working in a zone that received travellers from high-risk countries, including those in South Asia.

 

Some of these workers then went on to have their meals in the airport's food courts - which are open to members of the public - further spreading the virus.

 

Singapore has now closed its passenger terminals to members of the public temporarily as a result.

 

Many of the infected were later found to have a highly contagious variant that first surfaced in India - known as B.1.617.

Singapore has now also announced that it would segregate flights and passengers from high-risk countries and regions from those arriving from lower-risk places. Staff will also be ring-fenced and segregated by zones.

 

Some online are asking why such measures were not taken earlier, noting potential loopholes were pointed out up to a month ago.

 

But one expert said he thinks it was "inevitable" that the new variant would have found its way into Singapore.

"I understand why people are feeling frustrated because the majority of Singaporeans have been extremely compliant," said Prof Teo Yik Ying, dean of the NUS School of Public Health.

 

"But we are not like China which can keep its borders completely shut. Our reputation as a country, our economy, is linked to our position as a trade hub.

 

"[Also] if we look at the US last year, its worst virus cases came in not from China, but from travellers that went to Europe. So how many countries can Singapore close its borders to? We have to understand it's never just closing off one country."

 

But Prof Cook^ says the country is still in a "very good position" to rein in its outbreak.

"I'm hesitant to say that 'things went wrong'*, since Singapore is still, despite the stepping up of measures, in a very good position," he said.

 

"If we compare it to the UK, the typical daily cases is around 10% of the UK's level after adjusting for population size. In other words, Singapore is tightening measures to pre-empt getting to a point where the virus can run amok."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^Associate Professor Alex Cook of the National University of Singapore (NUS)

 

 

*Sure you wouldn't say that because you don't want to lose your job at NUS...🤣

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

9 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

To claim you aren't racist and then go on to be more racist is an odd way to try and prove your point.

 

Why is getting the Indians to go back to their own country to get their own vaccination against their proclaimed "Singapore variant" any type of racism?

 

You mean the Indians can go around accusing Singaporeans of spreading some kind of a non-existent "Singapore variant", and then start playing the victim card when they were called out as liars?  

 

And guess what? Until now, I have not even seen a single foreigner on this thread condemning those type of baseless accusations. And on the contrary, you have been standing on their side by claiming that Singapore should prove the negative to the world that such a variant do not exist. Why? What gives? Singapore is an excellent punching bag for you and your CECA friends?

 

Dear Singaporeans, wake up and see for yourself what type of foreign trash you have on this thread itself. This is the reason why foreigners are branded as foreign trash here.  How many more of them out there? So much for trying to broaden the definition of the "Singaporean core". Even my pinkie toes are laughing. 

[singalion]

 

Note: 17 April 2021

 

But my guess is, any minister in charge (or previous minister in charge) will not resign, but it will probably face someone at Changi airport? Oh, but there will a new jobs at the ministries...officer who will read letters from forums at newspapers...

 

Letter of the week: Stricter Covid-19 measures needed for inbound passengers at airport

• Published Apr 17, 2021, 7:00 am SGT

 

 

 

Singapore has been able to keep the number of Covid-19 community cases to near-zero lately. This is owing to our front-line warriors who have been working tirelessly since the onset of the pandemic.

 

However, this progress should never lull us into believing that we are doing better than our neighbours.

 

The population size and demographics of our city-state are different from those of our neighbours.

 

With the introduction of mass immunisation, my fear is that we may let our guard down out of a sense of misguided confidence that we have the virus situation well under control.

 

My recent experience on arriving at Changi Airport confirmed this fear.

 

Upon arrival at the airport three weeks ago, I was disappointed with the lack of segregation between passengers from different incoming flights, and worried about potential contact with outbound passengers.

 

 

 

Much to my dismay, inbound passengers were allowed to roam freely upon landing.

 

One was free to hang around in the terminal between departure gates for as long as one wanted*, rather than being sent straight for swab testing.

 

Considering the dozens of daily imported cases, I am perplexed to see that incoming passengers are allowed to join the shortest queue for immigration clearance, whenever they like.

 

I observed similar unregulated processes at the baggage claim area, long before passengers were funnelled to swab stations.

 

Imagine the many opportunities for infection, from the moment at-risk passengers touch down at the airport.

 

The possible intermingling of passengers from different flights, and having swab stations as the last port of call, are another cause for concern.

 

As a result of this system, or rather the lack of it, I am not sure if the transport that ferried me to the dedicated facility for me to serve my stay-home notice catered only to fellow passengers on my flight, or if it included others.

 

I shudder to think of how effective contact tracing would be if any one of us were found infected after arrival.

 

To defeat Covid-19, we must reassess the systems in place and rectify all potential loopholes before a new wave of cases appears.

 

Ong Cheng Hin

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/letter-of-the-week-stricter-covid-19-measures-needed-for-inbound-passengers-at-airport

 

 

 

* For sure, they want everyone to buy duty free items at the shops ...

 

 

 

[Rugbywhite]

20 minutes ago, singalion said:

 

Hm, maybe the government should start reading the Opinion pages at their one and only main Newspaper???

 

What a great journalism from BBC...

 

It's a smack into the face of ...

 

--------------------------------------------

Covid-19: What went wrong in Singapore and Taiwan?

By Yvette Tan, BBC News, 20 May 2021

Cracks in the wall: Singapore

In Singapore however, it was a different story.

 

Measures here have always been stringent despite low cases - public gatherings were kept to a maximum of eight, clubs have not been allowed to open and there is still a cap on mass gatherings like weddings.

 

But there were still gaps in its vaccine playbook, and by late May, Singapore's Changi Airport - which also boasts a popular shopping centre - had turned into the country's biggest Covid cluster this year.

 

Authorities later found out that a number of infected airport staff had been working in a zone that received travellers from high-risk countries, including those in South Asia.

 

Some of these workers then went on to have their meals in the airport's food courts - which are open to members of the public - further spreading the virus.

 

Singapore has now closed its passenger terminals to members of the public temporarily as a result.

 

Many of the infected were later found to have a highly contagious variant that first surfaced in India - known as B.1.617.

Singapore has now also announced that it would segregate flights and passengers from high-risk countries and regions from those arriving from lower-risk places. Staff will also be ring-fenced and segregated by zones.

 

Some online are asking why such measures were not taken earlier, noting potential loopholes were pointed out up to a month ago.

 

But one expert said he thinks it was "inevitable" that the new variant would have found its way into Singapore.

"I understand why people are feeling frustrated because the majority of Singaporeans have been extremely compliant," said Prof Teo Yik Ying, dean of the NUS School of Public Health.

 

"But we are not like China which can keep its borders completely shut. Our reputation as a country, our economy, is linked to our position as a trade hub.

 

"[Also] if we look at the US last year, its worst virus cases came in not from China, but from travellers that went to Europe. So how many countries can Singapore close its borders to? We have to understand it's never just closing off one country."

 

But Prof Cook^ says the country is still in a "very good position" to rein in its outbreak.

"I'm hesitant to say that 'things went wrong'*, since Singapore is still, despite the stepping up of measures, in a very good position," he said.

 

"If we compare it to the UK, the typical daily cases is around 10% of the UK's level after adjusting for population size. In other words, Singapore is tightening measures to pre-empt getting to a point where the virus can run amok."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^Associate Professor Alex Cook of the National University of Singapore (NUS)

 

 

*Sure you wouldn't say that because you don't want to lose your job at NUS...🤣

 

 

 

 

Are you suggesting that this article is lies?

 

seems to me that a global press organization with easy access to influential members of Singapore would easily be able to reach out to get comment.

It's also very well know around the world for it's journalism, it's able to have journalists because of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the inability of the government to put people in prison if they say things it doesn't like.

 

The article is very balanced. Here is what was going well, but they dropped their guard, and a shame they didn't get more vaccine. difference being in Taiwan they had the vaccine but people didn't take it.

[Rugbywhite]

21 minutes ago, singalion said:

 

Note: 17 April 2021

 

But my guess is, any minister in charge (or previous minister in charge) will not resign, but it will probably face someone at Changi airport? Oh, but there will a new jobs at the ministries...officer who will read letters from forums at newspapers...

 

Letter of the week: Stricter Covid-19 measures needed for inbound passengers at airport

• Published Apr 17, 2021, 7:00 am SGT

 

 

 

Singapore has been able to keep the number of Covid-19 community cases to near-zero lately. This is owing to our front-line warriors who have been working tirelessly since the onset of the pandemic.

 

However, this progress should never lull us into believing that we are doing better than our neighbours.

 

The population size and demographics of our city-state are different from those of our neighbours.

 

With the introduction of mass immunisation, my fear is that we may let our guard down out of a sense of misguided confidence that we have the virus situation well under control.

 

My recent experience on arriving at Changi Airport confirmed this fear.

 

Upon arrival at the airport three weeks ago, I was disappointed with the lack of segregation between passengers from different incoming flights, and worried about potential contact with outbound passengers.

 

 

 

Much to my dismay, inbound passengers were allowed to roam freely upon landing.

 

One was free to hang around in the terminal between departure gates for as long as one wanted*, rather than being sent straight for swab testing.

 

Considering the dozens of daily imported cases, I am perplexed to see that incoming passengers are allowed to join the shortest queue for immigration clearance, whenever they like.

 

I observed similar unregulated processes at the baggage claim area, long before passengers were funnelled to swab stations.

 

Imagine the many opportunities for infection, from the moment at-risk passengers touch down at the airport.

 

The possible intermingling of passengers from different flights, and having swab stations as the last port of call, are another cause for concern.

 

As a result of this system, or rather the lack of it, I am not sure if the transport that ferried me to the dedicated facility for me to serve my stay-home notice catered only to fellow passengers on my flight, or if it included others.

 

I shudder to think of how effective contact tracing would be if any one of us were found infected after arrival.

 

To defeat Covid-19, we must reassess the systems in place and rectify all potential loopholes before a new wave of cases appears.

 

Ong Cheng Hin

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/letter-of-the-week-stricter-covid-19-measures-needed-for-inbound-passengers-at-airport

 

 

 

* For sure, they want everyone to buy duty free items at the shops ...

 

 

 

 

It would be a shame if any worker doing what they were instructed to lost their jobs when they were only carrying out the instructions of the ministers.

[singalion]

40 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

 

Are you suggesting that this article is lies?

 

seems to me that a global press organization with easy access to influential members of Singapore would easily be able to reach out to get comment.

It's also very well know around the world for it's journalism, it's able to have journalists because of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the inability of the government to put people in prison if they say things it doesn't like.

 

The article is very balanced. Here is what was going well, but they dropped their guard, and a shame they didn't get more vaccine. difference being in Taiwan they had the vaccine but people didn't take it.

 

Rarely , but be assured I wasn't ironic this time.

 

No, I don't think the article is a lie.

 

Someone took a step to look what went wrong with Singapore.

 

Note, foreign press is quite cautious when they write about Singapore. Just take a look at all the defamation claims by the local government against overseas media reports they don't like.

 

=> Most articles about Singapore are quite balanced, but means they would not be as blunt as maybe with other countries.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by singalion

[Rugbywhite]

1 minute ago, singalion said:

 

Rarely , but be assured I wasn't ironic this time.

 

No, I don't think the article is a lie.

 

Someone took a step to look what went wrong with Singapore.

 

Note, foreign press is quite cautious when they write about Singapore. Just take a look at all the defamation claims by the local government against media reports they don't like.

 

=> Most articles about Singapore are quite balanced, but means they would not be as blunt as maybe with other countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing what a good law suit can achieve hahahha.

 

Got to admit I have called friends in the BBC and chewed them out before for being to "Fair" On Singapore, but only ever on the LGB inequality

[singalion]

12 minutes ago, Rugbywhite said:

 

It would be a shame if any worker doing what they were instructed to lost their jobs when they were only carrying out the instructions of the ministers.

Would need help from others here but as far as I can look back, any Minister in Singapore never resigned in the past.

 

But during the strict LKY days, there were instances where ministers did not continue on their post for a second term.

 

Under Lee II (LHL) here you can have an excerpt:

 

 

Forcing ministers to resign is not S'pore way

Apr 23, 2008, my paper

SINGAPORE will not encourage a culture where ministers resign whenever things go wrong on their watch, whether or not they are actually to blame, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament yesterday.   He said that having gone through the facts of the case, he was satisfied that Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, the Director of the Internal Security Department (ISD) and the Home Affairs Ministry's top management were not to blame for Mas Selamat's escape from detention.   Mr Lee said in his ministerial statement: "These issues (pertaining to how the incident happened and who should be responsible) have to be investigated by departmental inquiries, committees of inquiry, or commissions of inquiry, or (where there is possibly criminal misconduct) by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).   "Based on the findings, we will then allocate responsibility impartially and objectively.   "We will not just blame the officers directly involved. Those with supervisory oversight, or who are responsible for flawed systems, will also be held to account."   The executive summary of the Committee of Inquiry (COI) into the incident was released in Parliament on Monday. Mr Lee said that ultimately the Minister would be accountable for the policies and operations of his Ministry.   But he cautioned: "This does not mean that if a lapse occurs down the line, every level in the chain of command, up to and including the Minister should automatically be punished or removed.   "Based on the facts, we have to decide who fell short in performing his duties, and what is the appropriate disciplinary action for each officer involved.   "We also have to follow due process, giving officers the chance to defend themselves. Otherwise we will demoralise the organisation and discourage officers from taking initiatives or responsibility, for fear of being punished for making mistakes."   He added that this same principle of responsibility and accountability also applies to Ministers, including himself.   "Of course the Prime Minister himself is accountable too, to Parliament and ultimately to the electorate.   "However, we should not encourage a culture where officials and Ministers resign whenever something goes wrong on their watch, regardless of whether or not they are actually to blame.   "That would be the easy way out. It may temporarily appease an angry public, but it will not fundamentally solve the problem," Mr Lee said.         Conclusion => Ministers never do wrong, supervisory officer will be held accountable...       Hint: Read up on that Mas Selamat incident, but I advise you while reading to take a good seat, otherwise you might fall when reading what happened and accidentally hurt you.   😆

 

[Guest Mickey Spillane’s M Hammer]

15 hours ago, Guest Goulash Which Is Very Posh said:

Play your word games somewhere else because they don't fly around here. You were not providing facts. You were providing flawed opinions and devious conspiracy theories. There is a big difference. You don't know me or what media I consume, but I don't rely only on Western media, I look at a variety of sources from around the world. What I never rely on, however, is any state-controlled media. You can throw out all the "what ifs" you want -- but I deal in "what is" -- not hypotheticals. China has more than a billion people and doesn't need you "defending their honor" on a Singapore website. I have read enough of your posts to see exactly how you operate, and I have a very long memory, including how you tried to amplify a conspiracy theory last year of the US planting CoViD-19 in China. Nobody is trying to suppress well-intentioned comments or opinions, but baseless conspiracy theories aimed at making your actual favorite country appear to be a victim are rubbish, and you know it. You never hesitate to defend China and interject pro China viewpoints into this website, even at the expense of Singaporeans, but we never see you posting defenses or promotions of Singapore.

 

Good post, Goulash, fully agreed and co-signed. Not even going to get dragged into the weeds by his latest obfuscations and derangements ... harping on the dictionary definition of countless (typical PRC tactic in numerous internet comment sections around the world with him acting like this is the only thread on BW and pretending that none of his other propagandistic posts over the last 13 years were ever written), tossing Taiwanese factions into the mix from out of nowhere, accusing the USA and India of doing things which they did not do ... basically throwing diapers against the wall in hopes that something will stick well enough to change the topic away from his longtime duplicity. Very similar to how Trump's brainwashed supporters "defend" him, as a matter of fact, so I hope all those 50-cent deposits are worth it.

[Guest Unridiculous Equivocations]

All further critiques of Nightingale's national loyalties can now be undertaken in the new thread which he started and mentioned above. That means he can sing the praises of his highly-admired China vaccines to the utmost heavens in that thread, various members or guests can offer their analysis there in response, and those of us remaining here in this thread can return to primarily discussing the situation in our beloved Singapore which is the only country we adore, cherish, and exalt more than any other in the entire world. Hallelujah.

[Steve5380]

50 minutes ago, Guest Unridiculous Equivocations said:

All further critiques of Nightingale's national loyalties can now be undertaken in the new thread which he started and mentioned above. That means he can sing the praises of his highly-admired China vaccines to the utmost heavens in that thread, various members or guests can offer their analysis there in response, and those of us remaining here in this thread can return to primarily discussing the situation in our beloved Singapore which is the only country we adore, cherish, and exalt more than any other in the entire world. Hallelujah.

 

I think that the conversations in this thread and in the newly opened by @Nightingale are interesting lively discussions that conform to the norms of civility and keep the reader entertained.

 

I also think that the situation of the pandemic in Singapore is not bad, and the virus will be brought under control soon.  One of my references is the pandemic in America, now under control and close to reach its end.  Today I took off my mask in the gym during the heavy squats,  joining over 50% of the members who now exercise without it.  I find the recommendation by the CDC quite correct:  those fully vaccinated can drop all the restrictions, those unvaccinated must keep with them.  How to tell the difference?  NO PROBLEM:  those dumb ones unvaccinated and not taking precautions may be the only ones to get infected now, and perhaps their numbers will decline...  the natural way.  Also on June 1st, my classes of Aikido will resume (  hurrah! ) and all participants will have to be vaccinated and wear masks.  Very prudent, very wise!   

 

[jlone]

Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam (second from left) and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (third from left) speaking to residents at Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8 on May 21, 2021. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Edited May 21, 2021 by jlone

[jlone]

The PAP’s obsession with name-calling of singaporeans:

 

https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEJlstCSjEpmzOBfk7DOGfHQqGQgEKhAIACoHCAownbiFCzDcwoIDMJmihgY?hl=en-SG&gl=SG&ceid=SG%3Aen

Edited May 21, 2021 by jlone

[Guest Guest]

 

 

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-worker-south-asia-family-source-changi-airport-14857686

 

Worker who assisted COVID-19-infected family from South Asia INDIA could be ‘source’ of 43 cases at Changi Airport

SINGAPORE: A worker who assisted a family from South Asia last month could have been the infection source that led to 43 staff members at Changi Airport testing positive for COVID-19.

 

"Phylogenetic testing results for an initial batch of COVID-19 positive airport workers were found to be similar and of the B1617 variant, indicating that they originated from a common source," the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) said in a joint media release on Friday (May 21).

 

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the initial transmission could have occurred through an airport worker who was assisting a family from South Asia, who arrived in Singapore on Apr 29, 2021 and were subsequently found to be positive for COVID-19 through their on-arrival tests."

As of Thursday, a total of 43 airport workers - including the worker who helped the family - have tested positive for COVID-19. 

 

Most of these cases "peaked around May 13", said CAAS and CAG in their release, and none are in serious condition or require treatment in the intensive care unit. 

 

Ten were tested during a special testing operation while 33 were detected while serving quarantine orders, through earlier rostered routine testing, through the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) voluntary testing operation for visitors to Terminal 3, or upon seeking medical treatment from a general practitioner. 

Further investigations by MOH and CAAS are ongoing.

 

A total of 100 COVID-19 cases have been linked to Changi Airport as of Thursday, making it the country’s largest active cluster. 

 

Authorities said last week that a number of those cases were congregated around a zone that receives travellers from higher-risk regions, including South Asia.

 

CAAS and CAG added that close to 19,000 frontline and office workers in the Changi Airport Passenger Terminal Buildings and Jewel Changi Airport were tested from May 9 to May 20 during its special testing operations.

 

All workers at Terminal 1 and Jewel tested negative for COVID-19 while 10 workers from Terminal 3 tested positive.

“Out of an abundance of caution, all airport workers who were working around T3 Basement 2 who had tested negative for COVID-19 in their first test, have been rostered to take an additional COVID-19 test since May 20, 2021 – these results are pending,” they said. 

 

CAAS and CAG also announced on Friday that Changi Airport's passenger terminals as well as Jewel will remain closed to the public until the end of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period, while all arrivals from "very high-risk" countries and regions will undergo additional COVID-19 testing. 

 

According to CNA's study of data published on MOH’s website, 43 out of the 100 cases linked to the cluster so far have received one or two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

A comparison between those who have been vaccinated and those who have not, revealed that there were 12 more symptomatic cases in the unvaccinated pool. Common symptoms include fever, cough and runny nose.

 

Twenty-four patients linked to the cluster preliminarily tested positive for the B1617 variant, which was first detected in India. Half of them were not vaccinated.

 

 

[leo yok loo]

Everyday there are unlinked cases.

They gamble and lost. The people of singapore pay the price.

Of course they get their salary on time. 

[Guest Guest]

On 5/20/2021 at 10:28 PM, Steve5380 said:

Today I took off my mask in the gym during the heavy squats,  joining over 50% of the members who now exercise without it.  I find the recommendation by the CDC quite correct:  those fully vaccinated can drop all the restrictions, those unvaccinated must keep with them. 

 

Those vaccinated can drop all restrictions, even while the other COVID-19 variants, especially the super politically- and pathogenically-toxic INDIAN variant making its trip round the world, even now? Somebody thinks the vaccine makes a vaccinated become invulnerable? Even the decades of influenza vaccine is not capable of dealing with all influenza virus after years of existence, and someone here think the first generation of the covid19 vaccine can kill all covid variants, now and in the future? 

 

Dumb is really forever. 

 

Oh yes... Of course, it will be Trump's fault that CDC is making such a recommendation. 

[lonelyglobe]

34 minutes ago, Guest Guest said:

 

Those vaccinated can drop all restrictions, even while the other COVID-19 variants, especially the super politically- and pathogenically-toxic INDIAN variant making its trip round the world, even now? Somebody thinks the vaccine makes a vaccinated become invulnerable? Even the decades of influenza vaccine is not capable of dealing with all influenza virus after years of existence, and someone here think the first generation of the covid19 vaccine can kill all covid variants, now and in the future? 

 

Dumb is really forever. 

 

Oh yes... Of course, it will be Trump's fault that CDC is making such a recommendation. 

Just look at SG,  so many kena even after fully vaccinated months ago. Europe is opening up for summer vacation,  if olympic games were to go ahead.....no wonder someone predict this covid drama will drag on for ten years,  meaning mask on for another ten years in SG,  suddenly i missed the slogan "healthy people dont need mask".

[jlone]

24 minutes ago, lonelyglobe said:

Just look at SG,  so many kena even after fully vaccinated months ago

Oh! but they insisted that those fully jabbed will be milder when infected n do not deed oxygen. These patients will be healed faster of course. Do you agree ? 

[lonelyglobe]

That is one of the main purpose of vaccine,  even kena, your condition will be milder and probably dont need to admit into ICU.

 

Vaccine only provide up to 95% protection, meaning every 1 million vaccinated,  it is still possible to have 50,000 infection. 

Edited May 22, 2021 by lonelyglobe

[Guest Guest]

2 hours ago, lonelyglobe said:

That is one of the main purpose of vaccine,  even kena, your condition will be milder and probably dont need to admit into ICU.

 

Vaccine only provide up to 95% protection, meaning every 1 million vaccinated,  it is still possible to have 50,000 infection. 

 

To be factually correct, this 95% figure is true only for the original virus.

 

But it's efficiency drop when it comes to the newer varian, but it is still better than nothing. Data from the scientists at BioNTech says that it is 75% effective against the South African variant, and also effective against the Indian variant. Different articles seems to be touting different levels of effectiveness against the Indian variant. But all seems to agree that there is some positive effect in the vaccine guarding against the Indian variant. 

 

COVID-19: Pfizer vaccine likely to be effective against Indian variant of coronavirus, BioNTech boss says | World News | Sky News 

 

So people like Steve who thinks that it is OK to go maskless just because they are vaccinated and the CDC says so is just waiting to get themselves burnt. 

[Steve5380]

5 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

So people like Steve who thinks that it is OK to go maskless just because they are vaccinated and the CDC says so is just waiting to get themselves burnt. 

 

 

Bah, one way or another I will get myself slowly burned on low fire in hell for all eternity, since I have committed the "worst sin of all" of homosexuality and I will die unrepented.  Or so you think!  

[Guest Guest]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pfizer-astrazeneca-highly-effective-against-182815963.html
 

"The analysis, carried out between 5 April and 16 May, found the Pfizer vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the India variant two weeks after a second dose, compared with 93% effectiveness against the Kent strain."

 

 

... and yet MOH is delaying the second dose to 6 weeks (or 8 weeks for Moderna) after the first dose, and the maids can get vaccinated ahead of other Singaporeans before the end of the month.