Singapore appointed 2 idiots to lead the task force.

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Primary 6 students give themselves a round of applause.

 

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from msn.com:

“Every Singaporean deserves a place in our society” — Lawrence Wong on identity & tribalism​

In his keynote speech at a conference on identity organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Mr Wong noted that the tribalism and identity politics that have arisen in the west could also do so in Singapore.

No one can ignore “identities and tribes” nor pretend that differences exist, he said.

“Instead, as a starting point, we must recognise that the pull of identity politics arises from real differences in lived realities. Different segments of our population will have their own real and valid concerns and anxieties,” Mr Wong added.​

He gave such examples as women, who still bear disproportionate work at home; those who are differently-able, who cannot participate in the same way as most people; and the LGBTQ community, who feel that “society does not accept them.”

The Minister underlined that their concerns are “important… for if we are to live up to the founding ethos of Singapore, every Singaporean deserves a place in our society,” regardless of background status, or racial or cultural identity.

Denying the rights of different groups to organise in order to avoid the dangers of identity politics runs against “what a fair and just society must mean,” he added.

However, he also pointed out the exclusionary nature of tribalism, as it is “based on mutual hate: ‘us’ versus ‘them’, ‘friend’ versus ‘foe’.”

The answer to this is to build, instead of tribes, “community,“ which he said is all “about inclusive connections, and it’s based on mutual affection.”

The challenge, Mr Wong added, is to acknowledge and do our best to address the legitimate concerns of every tribe, without allowing our politics to be based exclusively on identities or tribal allegiances.”

He also reiterated the government’s commitment to “do our utmost to recognise the challenges and needs of different groups, decide on the appropriate policy, and convince the rest of society that this is a fair way to move forward.”

 

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Lawrence is keeping a close watch.

Lawrence Wong​

3 hrs · Instagram ·
We are keeping a very close watch on the Covid-19 situation around the world, even as we seek to reopen in a controlled manner.
The latest development is the emergence of the Nu variant, first detected in South Africa. We still need to get more data about this variant. But it appears to spread very quickly and also to have more mutations to the spike protein than previous variants.
So far we’ve not had cases of the Nu variant in Singapore. But we need to take all necessary precautions. That’s why we are tightening our border measures for several African countries. This will take effect from 27 November, 2359 hours.
Safeguarding both lives and livelihoods continues to be our priority, as we navigate through this pandemic.
(

: ST - Jason Quah)

 

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Lawrence has a fireside chat with SICCI members.

Lawrence Wong​

6 hrs · Instagram ·
Ministry of Finance (Singapore)’s work operates on a different cycle and tempo compared to many other organisations. While many people start to wind down as the year comes to an end, we have to step up and prepare for the Budget.
Our pre-budget engagement sessions are also starting to gain momentum. Earlier this week, I joined the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and its members at a fireside chat.
The SICCI has conveyed to us their “wish list” for the Budget. We will continue to take this and other suggestions into consideration as we prepare for Budget 2022
(

: SICCI)

 

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Lawrence poses with SICCI member.

 

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Lawrence recognizes his party activists.
They surely recognize him.

Lawrence Wong​

44 mins · Instagram ·
After months of zoom and virtual events, it’s great to be able to get together in person with our @myt_grc team, and to recognise our dedicated activists at the @papsingapore awards ceremony

 

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Lawrence announces VTL between Singapore and Malaysia.

Lawrence Wong​

1 hr · Instagram ·
Singapore and Malaysia have just launched land and air vaccinated travel lanes today.
We are doing so in a careful and modest way, with testing and vaccination requirements. But this is an important first step between two close neighbours, especially to allow for the renewal of kinship and friendship bonds and for the reuniting families who have not been home for a long time.
Meanwhile we are continuing to monitor the Omicron variant very closely and taking the necessary precautionary measures. We will give further updates on the Covid-19 situation soon.
(ST Photo: Lim Yaohui)

 

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Lawrence finds himself once again in a new and fluid situation.

Lawrence Wong​

2 hrs · Instagram ·
With the Omicron variant, we are once again in new and fluid situation, and will have to adapt and adjust our measures, based on the evolving data, evidence and science. We are taking the first steps to strengthen our border measures with enhanced testing protocols. We will consider further measures as the situation becomes clearer over the coming days. At the same time, we will accelerate vaccines and boosters, contact trace and ring fence all possible cases linked to this new variant, and continue with our prevailing safe management measures. Through these multiple levels of defences, we can achieve our objective of safeguarding lives and livelihoods through this pandemic.
(

: ST - Kua Chee Siong)

 

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from msn.com:

All travellers required to take on-arrival test: Minister Wong​

Minister Lawrence Wong said in his recent speech that all travellers will be required to an on-arrival test.

This is the latest in a series of measures directed at strengthening border measures against the pandemic.

Also included in the new measures is the requirement for travellers to undergo a pre-departure test within two days of departure of the country, two additional tests for travellers taking the Vaccinated Travel Lane, done on day 3 and day 7 of their arrival, and a surveillance exercise for travellers who arrived. between 12 - 17 November.

Wong explained that this surveillance would be done as a response to the countries which were affected by Omicron.

Routine tests will also see ramping up in order to monitor the sea and land checkpoints, as well as border personnel.

 

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from mothership.sg:

S'pore needs to build up other defences, not just border measures, to tackle Omicron variant: Lawrence Wong​

While border measures are Singapore's first line of defence against the imported risk of Covid-19, the country "cannot rely solely" on such measures to stop the virus, or the new Omicron variant from entering, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said.

Multiple layers of defence needed​

Speaking at a press conference held by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MMT) on Tuesday, Nov. 30, co-chair Wong said they know this from the experience they had "over the past two years of the pandemic".

He said, "Take the example of the Delta variant. Even the countries with the strictest of border regimes like China and New Zealand have experienced the Delta variants in their countries, and so it will be for this new variant."

He added that it's important "to recognise that border measures are really part of an overall system of defence".

Wong further explained that strong border measures will help to buy time, but they will not keep the virus out, and so the country must "use this time wisely to build up and strengthen other layers of defences".

These "layers" include continuing to ramp up vaccination and booster efforts, as well as to carry on with testing and contact tracing, he said, adding that contact tracing is "critical" in "go[ing] in quickly to ring fence any cluster that may be linked to this new Omicron variant".

Singapore to continue with safe management measures​

In addition, safe management measures that have been put in place "remain vital", he said.

As comparison, Wong brought up the example of certain European countries, which have only now started to "reinstate some of these basic measures like wearing of masks, social distancing, or even controls in restaurants and F&B outlets".

He said that Singapore has maintained these measures throughout the pandemic, and that it should continue to do so.

Wong further said that on the matter of whether or not the country should further tighten its border controls, the government will judge the situation carefully and develop their response based on data and science, which is something they have been doing "throughout the pandemic".

Enhanced border measures​

He then mentioned that as a first step, the government will be implementing enhanced testing for travellers arriving in Singapore.

For instance, all travellers arriving from Dec. 3 onwards will be required to undergo a Pre-Departure Test (PDT) within two days of their departure of Singapore and obtain a negative result.

All travellers arriving in Singapore will also have to take a Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test on-arrival.

Travellers on Vaccinated Travel Lanes will also be required to do two additional tests on Days 3 and 7 of their arrival.

 

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from tnp.straitstimes.com:

No changes to Covid-19 local measures for now, too early to tell if tightening needed: Lawrence Wong​

There will not be any changes to Covid-19 community restrictions for now, even as Singapore steps up its border measures amid reports of the new Omicron variant Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday (Nov 30).

It is still too early to tell at this stage whether local measures will need to be tightened, given that not enough is known about the new virus variant, he said.

Mr Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, was addressing a question from The Straits Times on the possibility of tightened community measures due to the Omicron variant during a press conference.

For now, Singapore is taking additional steps to strengthen its border measures, he said.

Among these measures are on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for all travellers and PCR rostered routine testing for airport and other border frontline workers.

But Mr Wong stressed that Singapore needs to have the mindset of being adaptable and nimble in this rapidly changing environment.

"We will have to constantly review and update our measures accordingly based on new information," the minister said.

Pointing out that the Omicron variant will not be the last variant of Covid-19 of concern, he said: "There will be new mutations and we just have to be prepared,"

Mr Wong added that there could be a possible mutation down the road that is more threatening and far more resistant to the current batch of vaccines.

This is part of the broader uncertainty that has been the case throughout the pandemic which Singapore has to deal with, he said.

It comes back to the point that there is no single silver bullet to address all these issues, Mr Wong said, stressing the importance of staying nimble and adjusting to the data available.

"At the end of the day, it goes back to what we've always emphasised: individual social responsibility in all of us doing our part, cooperating with the measures and staying united in fighting this pandemic."

Singapore relaxed some restrictions on dining out, household visits and social activities from Nov 22 after nearly two months of stabilisation measures, as the local Covid-19 situation remained stable and with the weekly infection growth rate staying at one or lower.

Under current measures, fully vaccinated people from different households are allowed to dine at food and beverage outlets in groups of up to five.

Households are also permitted to receive a maximum of five visitors a day, an increase from the previous limit of two visitors a day.

 

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from straitstimes.com:

Lawrence Wong outlines five strategies to prevent tribalism, identity politics taking root in Singapore​

SINGAPORE - As Singapore turns the tide in its fight against Covid-19, it must not allow the differences that have emerged during the pandemic to become permanent divides that affect its politics, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Nov 23).

This is especially since people are naturally drawn to the security of their own tribes in tough times, and are tempted to look at others as the cause of their frustrations and pressure, he added.

"Today we have a more diverse society, but we also have much more in common, and the Singaporean identity has become stronger," Mr Wong noted. "So how can we balance the competing demands of diverse identity groups while maintaining a cohesive and harmonious society?"


Speaking at a conference on new tribalism and identity politics organised by the Institute of Policy Studies and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Mr Wong laid out five possible approaches.

1. Strengthen relationships among people​

The first way is to strengthen human relationships through day-to-day interactions, he suggested. In doing so, people build up the trust they have in one another, which helps keep societies together.

Yet this is not something the Government can compel people to do, or do at scale, he observed. But it can work to strengthen the norms - such as being caring, kind and gracious - that bring people closer together.

In the pandemic, these norms have been personified in front-line workers who went above and beyond the call of duty, working to keep society going.

They are role models for society, Mr Wong said, adding: "These examples represent the best of us, and we should recognise the values they embody. We should take pride in our fellow Singaporeans who are prepared to set the interest of others ahead of their own, and serve the greater good."

2. Avoid stereotyping groups​

The minister also warned against stereotyping groups of people, or believing that communities are homogenous.

This is the case for the concept of Chinese privilege, where a poor Chinese woman would have a "vastly different lived experience" from a wealthy Chinese man. And the same logic applies to other concepts about which people may hold preconceived notions, such as on gender, religion or political allegiance.

Minority groups are especially subject to such prejudices, he said, adding that all Singaporeans must be more conscious of the stereotypes they might harbour.

"We must avoid reducing our understanding of each other to a single dimension," Mr Wong stressed. "This hardens our views of those who are different from us, and over time, we see all issues through that particular lens. It will become increasingly difficult to find common ground, or solutions that benefit all groups."

On the flip side, Singaporeans must also avoid breaking society into "ever smaller boxes". This has been seen in some places - for example, where black feminists do not see eye to eye with their white counterparts, or with one minority group feeling it has to be more aggrieved than another.

People must fight the instinct to set themselves apart and pigeonhole others, and instead, be willing to build understanding and commonality across identity lines, he said.

The reality is that all people have multiple identities, he added.

But they are first and foremost Singaporeans, Mr Wong said. This is the case no matter one's race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

"If we uphold this idea - that being Singaporean is a matter of conviction and choice, and that it takes priority over our other identities and affiliations - that would give all of us one important commonality around which to build understanding and trust, negotiate our differences and find common ground on difficult issues, and then we can continually look for ways to move forward together."

3. Draw on "the better angels of our nature"​

The minister then drew on Singapore's history as a trading hub for an analogy on how the country can move forward.

Trade is grounded on norms of reciprocity, trust and mutual benefit, with the foundation of all trades lying in the willingness to exchange and cooperate, Mr Wong noted. To trade effectively, one must build long-term win-win relationships - an instinct that is crucial for setting the tone in Singapore society.

"We should draw on the better angels of our nature," he said.

"From the beginning, our forefathers knew the importance of compromises and striking a fair deal for all. They knew cooperation, rather than competition and conflict, was the best way forward. This became not just the basis for our economy, but the outlook for our entire society," he said, observing that this is perhaps why tripartism has been so successful here.

"We must continue in this vein - continue to engage with one another, cooperate and work towards mutual benefit. We must do so not only with those outside Singapore, but also between different segments of Singaporeans as well."

4. Give hope, chance at a good life to all​

In addition, Singapore must continue to give all its citizens a reason to hope and a fair chance at a good life, Mr Wong said. This means promoting inclusive growth and working to ensure all Singaporeans can succeed in their pursuits.

He pointed out how the problems of many advanced economies are related to their economic woes, with typical households stagnating and children doing worse than their parents.

"We must never allow this to happen in Singapore," Mr Wong said, adding that by pursuing inclusive growth, Singapore can break out of a zero-sum mindset where certain groups feel that others' success has come at their own expense.

"When it comes to social programmes, we will do our best to avoid such invidious comparisons by balancing targeted support with universal coverage for essential items," he said.

5. Government must remain a fair, honest broker​

Lastly, the Government must - and will always be - a fair and honest broker between different groups.

Mr Wong acknowledged that Singapore's leaders may not always succeed in establishing a consensus on controversial issues, despite their best attempts.

"In such cases, the Government will do our utmost to recognise the challenges and needs of different groups, decide on the appropriate policy and convince the rest of society that this is a fair way to move forward," he said.

Examples of policies on which this has been done include the Housing Board's Ethnic Integration Policy, as well as the existence of Special Assistance Plan schools for Chinese-speaking students.

While the Government may not always arrive at a perfect solution, Mr Wong pledged that it will never let any group feel unheard, ignored or excluded.

"We will never let any group feel boxed in or ostracised. All must feel they are part of the Singapore conversation, all must feel they are part of the Singapore family, all must feel there is hope for the future."

 

[Byebye Penis]

 

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Lawrence bumps elbows with Malaysian Finance Ministar.

 

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Lawrence preparing to have a nice meal.

 

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Lawrence receives a present.

 

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These are Lawrence's favourite books.

 

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Lawrence distributes goodie bags to residents.

 

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Lawrence gets a thumbs-up for his delivery of goodie bags.

 

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Lawrence is very grateful for the opportunity to distribute goodie bags.