SINGAPORE — Soon after Malaysia’s announcement of a nationwide lockdown, Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing on Monday (March 16) assured Singaporeans that the Republic is “not in danger of running out of food or other supplies brought in by our retailers”.

“The Government has been actively working with essential firms such as NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong and Dairy Farm International to increase our stock of food and essential supplies over the last two months,” Mr Chan wrote on Facebook, just slightly over an hour after Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced in a televised address that his government would implement the Movement Control Order from March 18 until 31 to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 within Malaysia. 

Mr Chan noted that given the close proximity between Singapore and Malaysia, “many Singaporeans may be concerned about what this will mean for them”.

He reiterated that in addition to building up Singapore’s inventory of food and essential supplies, the Government also has in place a “robust multi-pronged strategy that will ensure we do not run out of the essentials we require:.

For example, Singapore has local production capabilities for products such as noodles, infant milk powder and canned goods among others. “In the event that we need to increase supply for our domestic consumption, we can ramp up quickly and easily to do so,” Mr Chan said. “We have also continued to diversify our sources of essential goods, for example we get a good amount of vegetables from China and even go as far as Australia and Spain to secure our supply of eggs.”

Although Singapore is not facing any shortages, Mr Chan urged everyone to “continue to purchase in a responsible manner and to purchase only what you need”.

“Otherwise, no amount of stockpiling will be sufficient,” he warned.

He advised businesses that employ Malaysian workers who commute between Singapore and Malaysia daily to activate their business continuity plans. If the firms need assistance, they should contact Singapore’s economic agencies which “stand ready to assist”.

“We will continue to stay in touch with our Malaysian counterparts as the situation evolves. Our priority is to ensure that our people and our businesses are able to continue with their lives and their livelihoods,” Mr Chan said.

“I am aware that many of these new restrictions and announcements may be quite overwhelming for many people. I ask for your continued trust and support as we work hard with all stakeholders to ensure that we get through these short-term challenges together.”