SINGAPORE — Calling a lockdown a “very extreme measure” during the Covid-19 pandemic, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (March 17) said that the Government is not planning for such a scenario in Singapore.

"We could potentially consider a major circuit-breaker that doesn't entail a lockdown, but entails school and workplace closures, on a temporary basis for two to three weeks just like Malaysia — but doesn't mean it's a lockdown, just a suspension of activities,” Mr Wong said.

While he would not rule out a lockdown, he reiterated: “There is a whole range of measures that we have in our tool kit… If we are vigilant and implement our measures effectively, we don’t need to lock down our city and we don’t want to lock down our city.”

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Mr Wong, who co-chairs a multi-ministry taskforce charged with handling the outbreak, was speaking at a briefing by the group.

On Monday, Malaysia announced a nationwide lockdown from Wednesday to March 31. As part of this restriction of movement, Malaysians would be barred from leaving the country while foreigners would not be allowed to enter it.

The move would affect the large numbers of Malaysians who commute to Singapore daily to work.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the flow of goods and cargo, including food supplies, will be allowed between Singapore and Malaysia during the lockdown.

On how this would be operationalised, Mr Wong said that the Singapore Government is in the midst of ironing out details with its Malaysian counterparts.

Discussions are also going on to see whether there could be “some flexibility” of an extension of one or two more days beyond the deadline of Tuesday midnight, when the lockdown would take effect.

Mr Wong said: “Based on our sensing, there is a significant number who prefer to stay in Singapore and continue working rather than to be in Malaysia and not having a job. One or two days will allow for that transition to happen, so that conversation is still ongoing.”

He noted that as and when Malaysia ends its lockdown, it cannot be business as usual during the pandemic, in terms of the movement of people between the two countries.

“This has to be worked out bilaterally with our Malaysian colleagues… we need to adjust to a new situation,” he said, adding that a system could be worked out to differentiate between daily commuters and tourists.

“It’s moving very quickly, it’s dynamic and starting from today. We will continue to meet with our Malaysian colleagues (on this).”