Malaysia's Neighbor Singapore Also Faces Economic Emergency

Trade partner with 450,000 daily crossings... Panic buying amid food supply concerns
Urgent measures needed as worker movement is blocked

[Asia Economy Singapore Seo Jumi, Guest Reporter] As Malaysia imposes entry and exit restrictions, Singapore, which has a large volume of trade with the country, is also engulfed in anxiety. In Singapore, which shares a border with Malaysia's Johor Bahru region across two bridges, the economic impact is becoming a reality as the usual daily movement of 100,000 vehicles and 450,000 people across the border has come to a halt.

According to local media such as The Straits Times on the 24th (local time), Singapore citizens usually visit Malaysia on weekends or holidays for shopping, but with a sharp decline in visitors, sales at stores in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, have dropped by more than 60%. In particular, since Singapore receives a significant portion of its food supply from Malaysia, concerns about food shortages are growing, and some citizens have shown anxious behavior to the extent of hoarding at one point.

On the 17th, a day before the border closure, the Causeway bridge connecting the two countries was chaotic with a flood of vehicles and pedestrians. Malaysians working in Singapore were unable to return home and have set up temporary accommodations in Singapore or taken leave, waiting for the closure to end.

Especially as Malaysian workers became unable to commute due to entry and exit controls, the Singapore government urgently needed to devise countermeasures. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of Singapore announced plans to support employers with SGD 50 per night to help Malaysian workers staying in Singapore find accommodation during this period. Additionally, in cooperation with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Housing & Development Board (HDB), and others, the government plans to accommodate workers in existing lodging facilities to minimize confusion. Currently, there are about 300,000 Malaysian workers employed in Singapore. Approximately 10,000 workers are directly affected by this lockdown, among whom about 1,000 work in the healthcare sector, such as nurses.

The Singapore government has recommended that all its students studying abroad return home, as small clusters of infections continue and imported cases are steadily reported. All national higher education institutions within the country, including national universities and polytechnics, have decided to suspend all overseas exchange programs until the end of July.

Singapore has reported more than 450 confirmed cases so far, and on the 21st, the first death occurred, causing shock. To prevent the spread of the epidemic, from midnight on the 24th, all short-term visitors are banned from entering or transiting through Singapore. However, foreigners holding work visas who provide essential services such as medical or transportation are still allowed entry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.