Singapore Minister Says No Supply Shortage as Malaysia Shuts Border to Prevent Covid-19

Singaporean were in a panic mode after its neighbor Malaysia announced to close the border on this upcoming Wednesday to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

 

After the coronavirus cases rose in Malaysia, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the country will shut its borders to travellers, restrict internal movement, close schools and universities and order most businesses to shut as well. Malaysia is Singapore’s main source of food supply while more than 350,000 people cross the Johor-Singapore Causeway every day mainly for work.

The announcement from Malaysia triggered Singaporean for a panic-buying of essentials, causing shops to temporarily out of stock. The same situation happened in early February, when Singapore raised its alert level on the coronavirus and the move sparked panic-buying of essentials in some shops across the country.

Later in the day, Singapore’s Minister Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s minister for trade and industry said the city state would not run out of food as the government had been working with firms to increase stock of food and essential supply over the last two months.

“This means that we are not in danger of running out of food or other supplies brought in by our retailers,” said Chan.