WASHINGTON: After being accused by Democrats of being a chaotic and dishonest leader, President Donald Trump countered on Friday (Aug 21) that Democrats, not he, would bring chaos to the United States if Joe Biden wins the White House in November.
"If our opponents prevail no one will be safe in our country," Trump told conservative activists in his first speech since the Democratic National Convention ended late on Thursday.
"I'm the only thing standing between the American dream and total anarchy, madness and chaos," Trump said.
In a preview of what Republicans will argue at their own convention next week, Trump hammered at the law-and-order theme he has embraced in response to anti-racism and police brutality protests in US cities including Portland, Oregon.
He said police had been weakened in "Democrat-run" cities and cited a spike in murders in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York and Philadelphia. He urged Americans to turn back "radical left socialists and Marxists."
He called protesters in Portland "crazy."
"So the future of our country and indeed our civilisation is at stake on Nov 3," he said in the speech in Arlington, Virginia, to the 2020 Council for National Policy.
Biden and his running mate, US Senator Kamala Harris, accepted their party's nomination at the four-day Democratic convention, where speaker after speaker characterised Trump's four years in office as chaotic.
The convention, held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, showcased scathing criticism of Trump's character and his handling of the health crisis, in which more than 170,000 people in the United States have died.
Democrats sought to present a diverse, united front with the integrity and faith they said Trump lacks.
Biden opened his acceptance speech on Thursday night by saying, "The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger. Too much fear. Too much division."
In his speech on Friday, Trump called it "the darkest and angriest and gloomiest convention in American history."
He also suggested, without providing an explanation or evidence, that the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives could become president if the results of the Nov 3 election were not clear by the end of the year.
"I don't think you'll know two weeks later. I don't think you'll know four weeks later," he said. "There's a theory that if you don't have it by the end of the year, crazy Nancy Pelosi would become president," he said.
Trump has sought to cast early doubt on the integrity of the election, and bringing up Pelosi, who is deeply unpopular with many Republicans, appeared aimed at motivating his base to vote.
Vice President Mike Pence, who gave a round of television interviews on Friday morning, outlined what he said would be the thrust of their four-day convention starting on Monday, appropriating a line from Biden’s speech that character, decency, science and democracy "are all on the ballot."
“The economy is on the ballot. Law and order is on the ballot, and the American people know it,” Pence said.
Pence deflected criticism over the coronavirus response.
"We lost 22 million jobs in the course of this coronavirus pandemic. But because of the solid foundation that President Trump poured of less taxes, less regulation, more American energy, more free and fair trade, we've seen 9 million Americans already go back to work," Pence told CBS "This Morning."
Biden's vice presidential selection of Harris confirmed that the Democratic Party had been taken over by "the radical left," Pence told Fox Business Network, describing her as a "California liberal."
Biden's long tenure in politics, as a US senator and two terms as President Barack Obama's vice president, will count against him, Pence said.
"Joe Biden has been in Washington for 47 years and the speech he gave last night was just more of the same talk that we've heard from him and other liberal Democrat politicians for the decades," he said.
Trump echoed the critique in a campaign video on Twitter, saying: "After 47 years of failure, we've had more than enough."
SINGAPORE: On the way to dinner one Sunday evening, this journalist spotted five hornbills flitting across a road junction to rest in some trees - as much a part of the city landscape as the Velocity@Novena Square mall behind them and the lanes of traffic below.
In the housing estate just across the mall, oriental pied hornbills preening their black-and-white plumage and chomping on fruit with their curved bills are a regular sight. The large bird with a distinctive casque on its beak is hard to miss but for nearly a century, they were a rare sight in Singapore.
They vanished from Singapore in the late 19th century and the first recorded return of wild oriental pied hornbills was on Pulau Ubin in 1994. Dr Ho Hua Chew, a long-time conservationist, was among the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) members who spotted the birds back then.
"The bird is a spectacular species and being regarded as extinct in Singapore up to that date, it was a thrilling experience to see a comeback for such large forest species – especially two birds at that," he said.
Dr Ho said the hornbill sighting instilled hope in him for nature conservation in Singapore, which for decades was "all gloom and doom" with the country's nonstop construction and development.
An oriental pied hornbill on Pulau Ubin. (Photo: Yong Ding Li)
But following a conservation project to bring back the birds, hornbill sightings have become far more common.
By installing nest boxes in trees for the birds to breed in, the Singapore Hornbill Project’s collaborators, who include the National Parks Board (NParks), Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and researchers, got visiting birds from neighbouring countries to settle here and raise their babies.
The hornbills are an eye-catching example of the many projects in Singapore aiming to preserve what is left of its biodiversity in an urbanised landscape - a movement that has grown gradually over the last couple of decades.
These include not just species recovery initiatives, but also efforts to restore habitats and connect them through nature ways - routes planted with specific trees and shrubs to facilitate the movement of animals. Many of these projects are part of Singapore's continually updated green master plans.
An oriental pied hornbill rests on a tree near a condominium in Novena. (Photo: Guy Hoh)
Dr Yong Ding Li, ornithologist and scientific adviser for the Nature Society's bird group, estimates that the population of oriental pied hornbills here has been expanding steadily in the last two decades and now number in the “low hundreds”.
The birds, which live on the forest fringes, have established themselves sufficiently and there is now no need to intervene, according to Mr Lim Liang Jim, group director of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre. NParks’ greening efforts have contributed to this, as there are now enough mature trees for birds which nest in tree holes - like the hornbills and parrots - to breed in.
Dr Yong added: “I think there's a role that greening has played in allowing hornbills to recolonise the main island. Now the interesting thing is that on mainland Singapore, the hornbills are largely not in our central nature reserves.”
OTTERS RETURN
A family of otters in Singapore. (Photo: Facebook/OtterWatch/Tan Yong Lin)
The return of such wildlife is a side effect of policies that can be traced back to founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s vision to green Singapore and clean up its waterways - efforts which were meant to improve the welfare of the island’s human inhabitants and to enhance Singapore's reputation abroad.
Environmental activist and National University of Singapore biology lecturer N Sivasothi said that the city’s smooth-coated otters found that Singapore’s clean waterways, some of which have been naturalised, also suited them.
“So the river cleanup was not about supporting wildlife, it was about providing clean water for people,” he said. “Although otters were missing in Singapore for a few decades, as we cleaned up for people … suddenly they were seen.”
But not every species can thrive in an environment built for people, and as Singapore continues to develop, will there be room for wildlife?
Asian small-clawed otters, part of the 14 birthed at the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, gather during feeding time during a media tour to showcase newborn animals at the Singapore Zoo January 11, 2018. REUTERS/Edgar Su
For instance, the urbanised smooth-coated otters’ prominence is in contrast to the fate of its rural cousin, the small-clawed otter.
“(The small-clawed otter is) a small mangrove stream-dwelling kind of animal. The modified environment it can deal with is maybe padi fields, but it can’t deal with modified urban environments, so its fate is hanging in balance in (Pulau) Ubin and Tekong,” said Mr Sivasothi.
Much of Singapore’s wildlife are hidden in the pockets of forest that remain in the heart of Singapore, and some, like small-clawed otters, persist on the north-east islands.
“What happens is the urban adapted species are prominent but the ones that cannot hack it, you don't see,” said Mr Sivasothi.
“If you talk about wildlife conservation, ultimately what must you do is conserve habitat. We should invest a lot of effort into restoring, recovery and then connecting (them).”
That effort to conserve, restore and connect natural habitats is a major part of the City in Nature vision, announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee in March.
On Wednesday, NParks announced new plans to create a 400ha nature park network that will envelop the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the Kranji Marshes and other nature areas - in another step to protect Singapore’s four nature reserves.
Kranji Marshes, a core habitat in the Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network, is one of Singapore’s largest remaining freshwater wetland. (Photo: Facebook/NParks)
(Infographic: Rafa Estrada)
A network of buffer parks has already been added to Singapore’s Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. These buffers protect the central nature reserves from developments that abut them and give the public alternative green spaces to visit so as to ease pressure on the reserves.
The development plans for Sungei Buloh take into account its role as a key node for migratory waterbirds along a flyway that stretches from the arctic to New Zealand - a science-based and ecologically friendly approach that is increasingly evident as Singapore tries to protect what is left of its natural heritage.
“IF YOU LOSE THEM HERE, YOU LOSE THE WHOLE WORLD'S POPULATION”
As the sky lightened and the forest awakened, bird calls and macaques’ chatter punctuated the keening of cicadas at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. In ever-changing Singapore, this patch of primary rainforest is a reminder of what much of the island looked and sounded like 200 years ago.
On any given day, the park is filled with hikers and panting joggers labouring up and down its slopes, but few see most of the flora and fauna that call it home.
One of them - the Johora Singaporensis, freshwater crabs found only in Singapore - infamously made it onto a list of the 100 most endangered species in the world. Its tiny population of a few hundred is found in fast-flowing streams on hills, of which there are only a handful here.
A female Singapore freshwater crab (Johora singaporensis) carrying a brood of crablets. The species is critically endangered. (Photo: National Parks Board)
The Singapore freshwater crab has already vanished from a hill stream in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve where it was first discovered in the 1980s, a turn of events that sounded the alarm for researchers years back.
“They're unique to Singapore. That means, if you lose them here, you lose the whole world's population,” said Associate Professor Darren Yeo, a freshwater ecology expert at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) department of biological sciences.
A concerted effort to save the pebble-sized invertebrate was mounted in 2015 by NParks, WRS and NUS, leading to more than 100 crabs being released in the wild. The crab population has likely increased in recent years due to successful breeding programmes and translocations, said NParks.
But the fate of the species remains precarious because its habitats are so limited. Research on its ecology is now ongoing to investigate possible threats to the species in the wild, such as stream acidification and drought, possibly due to climate change, said Assoc Prof Yeo.
The crab, described by Assoc Prof Yeo as a “little brown thing” more comfortable scuttling under rocks than being the centre of the media spotlight, is one of the lucky ones.
“A HERCULEAN EFFORT”
A 2003 study found that Singapore had already lost about 28 per cent, or 881 of 3,196 recorded species, in 200 years without much fanfare. The main reason was habitat loss, after more than 95 per cent of the island’s forest cover was lost to agriculture and later, urban development.
File photo of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
As many species here could have been lost before ever being documented, by referencing species found in Malaysia, the study’s authors inferred that the true extinction rate could have been as high as 73 per cent.
The study also estimated that forest reserves covering only 0.25 per cent of Singapore’s area hold more than 50 per cent of the native biodiversity left.
But efforts to conserve Singapore’s biodiversity has come some way since, and hundreds of plants and animals have been discovered or rediscovered here since 2013, as surveys of wildlife proliferated.
“It's really a Herculean effort to bring all this back ... Before we know what to bring back, we realised that we had to first find out what's there," said NParks' Mr Lim, Over the last seven years, surveys have discovered or rediscovered more than 500 new species, he said.
Numerous projects to conserve key species, including the Singapore freshwater crab, sea turtles and indigenous plants like the Singapore ginger, were also started over the years.
Then, the 2003 study’s authors called some surviving species the “living dead” - including the white-bellied woodpecker, the cream-coloured giant squirrel and the banded leaf monkey - as their numbers were deemed too small to be viable in the long term.
The cream-coloured giant squirrel has not been sighted here since 1995, and Dr Yong told CNA that he last saw the white-bellied woodpecker - Singapore’s largest woodpecker - in 2001. The presence of the white-bellied woodpecker and a diverse woodpecker community are indications of forest health, as they need good forests with tall trees to survive, he added.
“The majority of forest animals will be in decline just because the forests are too small, but we can help by trying to create corridors to connect the different forest fragments.”
An aerial shot of the Eco-Link@BKE, the first ecological bridge of its kind in Southeast Asia. (Photo: NParks)
He calls the Eco-Link - a highway for animals built in 2013 - one of the most important conservation actions that Singapore has ever taken, as it connects the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, which were bifurcated by the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in 1986.
WHEN WILL THEY REACH THE “TIPPING POINT”?
Despite the challenges, primatologist Andie Ang is trying to bring the banded leaf monkey, also known as the Raffles' banded langur, back from the brink of extinction.
There are only about 60 Raffles’ banded langurs left in Singapore. (Photo: Jeanne Tan)
Up until the 1920s, the langur was found in many parts of Singapore, including Tuas, Bukit Timah and Changi, before development claimed most of its habitats. Unlike the more common long-tailed macaque, the shy creatures have found it hard to adapt to a Singapore with little forest cover.
The last banded leaf monkey in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was believed to have been mauled to death by a pack of dogs in 1987, leaving the Central Catchment Nature Reserve as the last stronghold for the primates. Studies on them were few and far between but in 2008, a survey found about 40 langurs left here.
Twelve years on, Dr Ang, who leads research and conservation efforts for the banded leaf monkeys, estimates that their numbers have increased to more than 60 in Singapore.
A Raffles' banded langur leaping from a tree near Thomson. (Photo: Bernard Seah)
With the slight increase in population, a group of bachelor monkeys tried to make their way back to Bukit Timah a few years back but one died in a road accident on BKE. While other animals have used the Eco-Link that now connects the two forested areas, the monkeys have yet to figure this out, said Dr Ang, a research scientist at the WRS Conservation Fund.
“They're always facing pressure in terms of where they can go and where they can remain,” she added.
Given their small numbers, just one catastrophic incident, such as a heavy storm or a fire, can eliminate all the langurs. A disease or inbreeding may also wipe out the population, which DNA analysis has shown to have low genetic variability.
"With an inbred population, it takes time for signs to show and it also takes time before the population would crash suddenly, so I'm just afraid when they are reaching that tipping point,” said Dr Ang.
Buffer parks around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. (Image: National Parks Board)
The bachelor group of monkeys has settled in Windsor Nature Park, one of the buffer parks created on the edges of the nature reserves to protect the core areas from further disturbance.
But Dr Ang fears that they will be affected by works for the upcoming Cross Island Line, which would lead to the clearing of a part of their habitat which is not protected as it is outside the nature reserve.
Discussions with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are ongoing to safeguard the flora and fauna in the area when construction of the line begins, the authority said.
SMALL FORESTS, HIGH STAKES
That discussion is a continuation of an engagement process that has been going on since 2013 when plans for the MRT line - which could have gone under or around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve - were first announced.
Proposed alignment options for Singapore's Cross Island Line.
Said Mr Sivasothi, who has been actively involved in the engagement: “Our local species are all locked up in the nature reserves, which is why we are so energetic when it comes to engagement because you make one slip-up - the damage, the impact is extremely high.”
Highlighting the fragility of the nature reserve, Mr Sivasothi said that when environmental impact studies were being conducted, the companies employed were not used to the small size of Singapore’s forests and the minor disturbances that could tip the balance.
“The scale at which we are telling them they have to take into account - they've never really faced before - it's like a macro-scale to a nano-scale,” he said.
After years of debate and consultation, it was announced in December 2019 that the line will tunnel under the nature reserve but go 70m deep, instead of the usual 20 to 30m. There will be no surface work sites in the nature reserve to ensure that flora and fauna will not be affected.
While not everyone was satisfied with the final decision, there was a definite desire for a constructive outcome and a “willingness to listen”, said Mr Sivasothi.
Nature Society president Shawn Lum credits the LTA for committing to a long engagement with nature groups early on and being open to trying new technology to get the MRT line built while reducing the impact on the nature reserve.
“They, of course, had certain constraints on how that line could be built, but the fact is that, really, through the engagement LTA … changed the way they did much of their work and so the nature reserve was able to escape from the worst kind of impact,” he said.
It is a stark example of how Singapore’s conservation plans have to face the concrete reality of its limited space, the need to accommodate more than 5 million people and the relentless race for economic growth. The process also highlights the tussle between conservation and urban development that has played out over the years in the give-and-take between authorities and environmental activists.
FROM CONSERVATION TUSSLES TO ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
A pair of great-billed herons at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. More than 270 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve and the surrounding habitats. (Photo: Bernard Seah)
The kernel of the Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network started in 1989, when a group of birdwatchers and nature lovers successfully lobbied the Government to set it aside as a nature park. It was the first time Singapore had set aside land for nature conservation since its independence - but it was the exception rather than the norm for many years to come.
Dr Ho, who has been involved in conservation work since the mid-80s, was among those who helped save Sungei Buloh. He recalls how a petition with 25,000 signatures a few years later in the early 1990s could not budge the authorities’ resolve to build Housing Board flats in Sembawang over the Senoko Wetlands - then home to endangered resident and migratory birds.
The freshwater pond at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve's visitor centre. (Photo: Facebook/NParks)
But despite such setbacks, continued pressure from nature activists convinced the authorities to take them seriously, even as popular support for nature and cultural heritage conservation grew over the years, Dr Ho said.
There were two big conservation tussles which he believes helped to turn the course of the engagement process with the authorities - the Chek Jawa wetlands on Pulau Ubin and the Bukit Brown cemetery.
“What followed from these two fierce/heated tussles was that the authorities became more friendly and willing more to listen and understand our positions,” he said in an email.
Dr Lum said that there has been a more systematic effort to include feedback from various communities, including the nature groups, on major infrastructural projects in the last decade or so. While there was always a pipeline for feedback, it used to be more informal.
Besides the Cross Island Line, he cites the development of the Rail Corridor as an example of how the Urban Redevelopment Authority took on the community as a partner in developing plans for railway land that was returned to Singapore in 2011.
Dr Lum believes that with more people with different backgrounds and expertise involved in the planning and urban development process, better outcomes can be reached.
“I think if you took all these great ideas, and these technically skilled people who have know-how in whatever - engineering and building, modelling and nature - we might be able to do something that no one agency or no one institution or individual could have thought possible,” he said.
“But in order to tap into that expertise, the discussions have to start really early and not necessarily unveiled as this plan that just needs a fine touch at the end.”
EVOLUTION, NOT REVOLUTION
Mr Lim of NParks’ National Biodiversity Centre said that the change in approach over the years has been organic.
“It was very evolutionary, it wasn't revolutionary. But essentially, there was a recognition, I think for quite some time already ... that the community has to be involved,” he said.
Volunteers from Keppel Corporation planted trees of various wetland species, such as the Cicada Tree, Cheng Tng Tree and Abu-abu Air Tree. This photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: NParks)
It is not just the approach to engagement, the evolution in Singapore’s relationship with the natural environment can be summed up in its slogans over the years - from “Garden City” to “City in a Garden” to now, a “City in Nature”.
Explaining the significance of this, Mr Lim said: “We are now looking at nature as really being part of a very critical relationship with people ... simply because we recognise now that nature - flora, fauna, habitats and ecosystems - play an important role (in) imparting resilience to the community, to human individuals, to society, to nations.”
There is now an understanding that having more natural ecosystems, rather than controlled green spaces is important for ecological and climate resilience, said Mr Lim. There is even scientific evidence that being in a more biodiverse environment improves mental well-being, he added.
A Nature Way in Pasir Ris, which is planted with trees and shrubs to facilitate the movement of animals like birds and butterflies between green spaces. (Photo: NParks)
Of the seven strategic thrusts of the City in Nature vision, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems is the first. Other key thrusts include restoring nature into the built environment and establishing connectivity between green spaces islandwide - for humans and for wildlife.
It has come a long way from 1967 when then-PM Lee Kuan Yew announced that Singapore was to become a “garden city beautiful with flowers and trees, and as tidy and litterless as can be”, as reported in the Straits Times.
Getting the community engaged, in particular young people, is another key thrust. Mr Lim said he is seeing more interest in nature conservation, and many people, young and old, committing their time and expertise to NParks’ community programmes.
“IT ALL BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL WORLD”
At Commonwealth Secondary School, students have been learning in an environment which is a microcosm of Singapore’s natural habitats - from a rainforest to a wetland, and a freshwater stream. It is one of 42 schools in NParks’ Greening Schools for Biodiversity Programme, which helps schools plant native flora and create habitats for more wildlife.
The animals that stop by the school became learning opportunities, such as when a reticulated python was found in a school corridor or when a pair of olive-backed sunbirds built a nest there this year.
Students walk through a forest habitat at Commonwealth Secondary School. (Photo: Commonwealth Secondary School)
Mr Jacob Tan, biology teacher and key driver of the school’s environmental education programme, said that the school’s geography teachers have also been using the eco-habitats to get students to link what they observe to their lessons.
“This is the generation of students who will inherit a world where these issues are really going to be a problem. As our students live in an urban environment, the opportunity that they have to get in contact with nature and biodiversity in general is very little,” he said.
One young person whose love for nature has turned into both a job and a sideline is 26-year-old Kong Man Jing, a science teacher at a tuition centre who also runs Facebook page Just Keep Thinking, dedicated to educating people about science and the environment and has more than 63,000 followers.
Ms Kong’s alter-ego “BioGirlMJ” is the bubbly host of science and nature videos that feel like a blend of Discovery Channel and SGAG. During the “circuit breaker” period, she went on a “grassland treasure hunt”, identifying for viewers the flowers, weeds and insects that proliferated when the grass went untrimmed for months.
Ms Kong told CNA that she wants her videos to fill a gap for light-hearted content on such matters that are accessible to the masses - particularly the unconverted, who may not be that interested in green issues.
“It’d be great if everyone cares about the environment a bit more because climate change is real, but to reach there, I think it has to come from innate desire,” she said. “When you love something, you want to protect it more.”
SINGAPORE A “CRUCIBLE” FOR THE WORLD?
Most people CNA spoke to said that the issue is larger than Singapore and saving its native wildlife.
Ornithologist Dr Yong pointed out that Singapore’s ecosystem merges into Malaysia’s and Indonesia’s, and international ecological connectivity is often overlooked.
“If you look at the Johor Straits ... we cannot see the Singapore side as a ‘Singaporean ecosystem’, there's no such thing as a Singaporean ecosystem. To animals, to plants, the border is an artificial thing,” he said, urging for more transboundary cooperation on nature conservation.
A hawksbill turtle. (Photo: National Parks Board)
NParks' Mr Lim said that Singapore can be a “test case” for other cities in the world.
"Singapore is very interesting because it is a crucible … a test case of how basically a small nation with very small hinterland - in fact zero hinterland, let’s be honest - will be able to build a matrix of greenery, of nature so that it benefits people as much as possible,” he said.
Dr Lum of the Nature Society said that he feels it is time the world draws a line on urban sprawl if it wants to enjoy the services that nature provides, like climate regulation, clean water and air.
“I think all countries in the future would have to kind of draw a boundary: Beyond this, we just cannot develop, we have to put everything in this ... And so in this sense, Singapore really becomes a test case for how creative can we be in our allocation of land.”
SINGAPORE: Allowing some travellers from Brunei and New Zealand to Singapore to take a COVID-19 test instead of serving a stay-home notice is a "small, cautious step" to reopen aviation, said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (Aug 21).
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Friday that from Sep 1, some travellers coming from those two countries will not have to serve their 14-day stay-home notice, but take a COVID-19 test on arrival. If they test negative, they will be allowed to go about their activities in Singapore. Travellers must have stayed in Brunei or New Zealand for the past 14 consecutive days.
Brunei and New Zealand were chosen because COVID-19 in those countries are under control, with an incidence rate of less than 0.1 infections per hundred thousand population, Mr Ong said. Travellers will be "bubble wrapped" while awaiting the results of their COVID-19 tests, he told reporters.
When asked if testing such travellers once will be enough, Mr Ong said: "I think the starting point is not how many tests. The starting point is who ... we open up to.
"For the two countries we just listed, these are very established systems already. They have shown themselves to be effective (in containing COVID-19), very low case loads ... systems that give us a lot of confidence."
He said the airline industry was "quite clear" that a stay-home notice of 14 days or seven days will "discourage travel quite a bit".
"Singapore is a small, open, globalised economy. The aviation sector - Changi Airport, SIA (Singapore Airlines) - (does) not concern just the aviation sector, but it is linked to the whole economy," he added.
While this decision to allow travellers from Brunei and New Zealand to take COVID-19 tests instead of serving stay-home notices was made unilaterally, it does not preclude the possibility of future reciprocal green lane arrangements with other like-minded countries for essential business travel.
Singapore could also go a step further to upgrade such arrangements into broader "travel bubbles or travel corridors", he said.
Mr Ong said MOT is working closely with MOH and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor the coronavirus situation in other countries.
MOH announced on Friday that the 14-day stay-home notice period for travellers from "low-risk" countries and regions will be reduced to seven days. The isolation period can be served at their place of residence.
These countries and regions are Australia (excluding Victoria state), Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia. They will be tested before the end of the isolation period.
"But the list (of countries and regions) can change, because the situation can also change in various countries. So I think a reasonable starting point is to look at those countries (and regions) where stay-home notices have been reduced to seven days and to see if there are possibilities to progress - not just in reciprocal green-lane agreements but also travel corridors, or maybe in certain circumstances, maybe we can consider unilateral opening as well."
Mr Ong noted that there are currently two flights a week between Brunei and Singapore, with a combined flight capacity of 500, and four flights a week between New Zealand and Singapore, carrying about 1,200 passengers in total.
"Let's see if there's demand coming from those two countries to Singapore. I think the starting point is let's try to fill up the 500 seats and the 1,200 seats," Mr Ong said.
"So, all in all, I think this is a small, cautious step to reopen aviation and resuscitate Changi Airport as well as SIA," he added.
"I believe we can strike a good balance between keeping Singapore safe and (keeping) travellers here safe, as well as reviving the air traffic sector.
"Remember, as a small open economy, to survive, we have got to keep our borders open. To earn a living, we have got to have connections with the world. To thrive, to prosper, we must be an aviation hub."
SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have welcomed the Government's decision on Friday (Aug 21) to ease restrictions on inbound travel from Brunei and New Zealand.
From Sep 1, some travellers coming to Singapore from those two countries will not be required to serve a stay-home notice but will instead take a COVID-19 test upon arrival.
"The recovery of air travel and airfreight is a necessary catalyst for the recovery of global trade and economies severely impacted by COVID-19," said SIA Group.
"Today’s announcement is an important step towards the gradual rebuilding of the Singapore air hub. The SIA Group will continue to work closely with the Singapore government and all stakeholders to support this."
SIA, SilkAir and Scoot accounted for more than half of the passengers flying in and out of Changi Airport in the last financial year.
With the easing of restrictions, SIA Group said it will work closely with the authorities to safeguard the health and safety of its customers, employees and communities it operates in.
CAG said it looks forward to welcoming tourists and leisure visitors to Singapore again.
"CAG welcomes today’s announcement on the opening of inbound leisure travel from New Zealand and Brunei," said spokesman Ivan Tan.
"This is indeed good news for Changi Airport, and it is an encouraging start to what we hope will be a gradual resumption of air travel to and from Singapore," he added.
"The health and safety of staff and visitors at Changi Airport remain a priority for us. We will work closely with the various government agencies and our airport partners to facilitate the safe travel processes at Changi when we receive visitors from these two countries."
Figures released on Monday showed that three of the group's carriers continue to see sharp declines in passenger traffic for July.
"The SIA Group will continue to closely monitor the demand for international air travel, and be nimble and flexible in adjusting our capacity to match this," it said on Friday.
Singapore will also update its travel advisory for people who want to visit Brunei and New Zealand - to allow general travel to the two countries. However, they should check the entry requirements imposed by the respective governments.
Under Singapore's current advisory, residents are advised to defer all travel abroad, except for essential business and official travel under green-lane and fast-lane arrangements.
SINGAPORE: From Sep 1, some travellers coming to Singapore from Brunei and New Zealand will not be required to serve a stay-home notice but will take a COVID-19 test upon arrival instead, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Aug 21).
Under the current travel advisory issued by MOH, residents are advised to defer all travel abroad, except for essential business and official travel under green-lane and fast-lane arrangements.
This advisory will be updated to allow general travel to Brunei and New Zealand, said MOH on Friday. People visiting these two countries are advised to check the entry requirements imposed by the respective governments, as well as take the necessary precautions.
Co-chair of the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force Lawrence Wong said during a press conference on Friday that the arrangements with Brunei and New Zealand are not reciprocal, but discussions with both countries are ongoing.
“When we are ready with the reciprocal green lane arrangements with these two countries, we will announce the details,” he said.
"Specific to these two countries, we are making a move based on the evidence, based on our assessment of risk," he added.
The travel advisory will also be updated to allow students pursuing academic qualifications overseas to travel for studies, if distance-learning is not offered as an option.
Singaporeans and residents are advised to defer all other forms of travel overseas. Essential travel for business, official or work purposes will continue to be permitted under the green-lane and fast-lane arrangements and the periodic commuting arrangement.
“When overseas, travellers should take all necessary precautions, observe good personal hygiene, monitor local developments, and heed the advice of local authorities,” MOH said.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong urged those who are intending to travel to plan ahead.
"Don't just hop on the plane and go. Please check what are the requirements of the destination countries, make sure that you comply with the requirements before you fly over.
"At the same time when you're there, continue to exercise vigilance, continue to exercise safe distancing, and also observe the safe distancing rules in those countries, so that you protect yourself and protect others," he added.
Those who complied with the travel advisories will be eligible for Government subsidies and MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plan coverage for their COVID-19 treatment should they have onset of symptoms within 14 days of their return to Singapore and require hospital admission for suspected infection, said MOH.
BRUNEI, NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLERS TESTED ON ARRIVAL
Since Jun 18, travellers from low-risk countries and regions – Australia (excluding Victoria State), Brunei Darussalam, Macao, Mainland China, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam – have been allowed to serve their 14-day stay-home notice at their own place of residence.
They are also tested before the end of their stay-home notice.
"Amongst these low-risk countries, we will start by lifting our current border restrictions to allow the entry of visitors from Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand into Singapore," said MOH.
Travellers entering Singapore and who have remained in either Brunei or New Zealand in the past 14 consecutive days will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport, instead of serving the 14-day stay-home notice.
They must test negative for the coronavirus before being allowed to go about their activities in Singapore.
Visitors from these two countries will need to apply for an Air Travel Pass between seven and 30 days before their intended date of entry into Singapore. They can apply for the pass from Sep 1, for travel from Sep 8.
"They will be responsible for their medical bills should they require medical treatment for COVID-19 while in Singapore," MOH said.
Returning Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders will not have to serve a stay-home notice and will undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival. They do not need to apply for the Air Travel Pass.
"We have monitored the situation and assessed that there are several countries/regions where the virus situation is well under control and the risk of importation is low. We will therefore update our border measures accordingly," explained MOH.
According to New Zealand’s immigration website, the country’s border is closed to "almost all travellers".
"The starting point for consideration is that the New Zealand border is closed for all but critical travel, and that protecting public health in New Zealand is paramount," the website said.
Foreigners who want to enter New Zealand must first seek approval and prove that they are entering for “critical purposes”, the guidelines state.
Brunei’s tourism website, updated on Aug 15, states that all visitors will be denied entry from all ports of entry. This includes visitors on transit.
SHORTER STAY-HOME NOTICES FOR SOME TRAVELLERS
Travellers coming from some low-risk countries and regions will have their stay-home notices reduced from 14 days to seven days. The isolation period can be served at their place of residence.
These countries and regions are Australia (excluding Victoria State), Macao, Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia. They will be tested before the end of the isolation period.
All other incoming travellers will continue to serve their 14-day stay-home notices at dedicated isolation facilities, and will be subject to a COVID-19 test before the end of the notices.
"There are other low-risk countries or regions where a stay-home notice may also not be needed. But out of abundance of caution we will keep the stay-home notice for now," said MOH.
Existing travel conditions, including adhering to stay-home notice requirements and applying for relevant approval before entering Singapore, continue to apply.
Those serving such notices are reminded to only use permitted modes of transport and avoid taking public transport.
"All travellers will be subject to the prevailing border measures upon entry, including payment for their stay at dedicated stay-home facilities and tests, where applicable," said MOH.
MOH said Singapore's border measures will "evolve as the global situation changes".
If the COVID-19 situation in certain countries deteriorate, more stringent measures will be put in place to "limit the risk of importation and prevent community transmission from imported cases".
SINGAPORE: Some travellers coming to Singapore from Brunei and New Zealand from Sep 1 will not be required to serve a stay-home notice but will take a COVID-19 test upon arrival instead, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Aug 21).
The travel advisory has also been updated to allow general travel to Brunei and New Zealand. Those visiting these two countries are advised to check the entry requirements imposed by the respective governments, as well as take the necessary precautions.
"We will also update the travel advisory to allow travel for studies for students pursuing academic qualification overseas, and where distance-learning is not offered as an option by the education institution," said MOH in a press release.
Co-chair of the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force Lawrence Wong said during a press conference that the arrangements with Brunei and New Zealand are not reciprocal.
But Singapore is discussing reciprocal green lane arrangements with the two countries, he added.
“When we are ready with the reciprocal green lane arrangement with these two countries we will announce the details,” he said.
Singapore residents are still urged to avoid travelling overseas, MOH said, unless they have to go abroad for work purposes.
“When overseas, travellers should take all necessary precautions, observe good personal hygiene, monitor local developments, and heed the advice of local authorities,” MOH said.
TRAVELLERS FROM BRUNEI, NEW ZEALAND
Since Jun 18, travellers from low risk countries and regions - Australia (excluding Victoria State), Brunei Darussalam, Macao, Mainland China, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam – were allowed to serve their 14-day stay-home notice at their own place of residence.
They were also tested before the end of their stay-home notice.
"Amongst these low-risk countries, we will start by lifting our current border restrictions to allow the entry of visitors from Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand into Singapore," said MOH.
Travellers entering Singapore and who have remained in either Brunei or New Zealand in the last 14 consecutive days before coming to Singapore will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport, instead of serving the 14-day stay-home notice.
They must test negative for the coronavirus before being allowed to go about their activities in Singapore.
Visitors from these two countries will need to apply for an Air Travel Pass between seven and 30 days before their intended date of entry into Singapore.
They can apply for the pass from Sep 1, for travel from Sep 8.
"They will be responsible for their medical bills should they require medical treatment for COVID-19 while in Singapore," MOH said.
Returning Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders will not have to serve their stay-home notices and will undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival. They do not need to apply for the travel pass.
"We have monitored the situation and assessed that there are several countries/regions where the virus situation is well under control and the risk of importation is low. We will therefore update our border measures accordingly," explained MOH.
SHORTER STAY-HOME NOTICE PERIOD FOR SOME COUNTRIES
Travellers coming from some low-risk countries and regions will be reduced from 14 days to seven days. These countries and regions are: Australia (excluding Victoria State), Macao, Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia. They will be tested before the end of the notices.
All other incoming travellers will continue to serve their 14-day stay-home notices at dedicated isolation facilities, and will be subject to a test before the end of the notices.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Friday (Aug 21) that mass testing of residents for COVID-19 will begin on Sep 1, as she warned people not to be complacent despite a steady fall in the number of new infections.
The testing, which will be done with the assistance of a 60-person team from the mainland, is the first time Chinese health officials have assisted the special administrative region in its battle to control the epidemic.
According to the government's COVID-19 website, the city has reported more than 4,600 COVID-19 cases and 75 deaths.
The testing will be voluntary and take around two weeks to complete, Lam said.
"There will be a substantial boosting of the testing capacity in the public and private sector, a more than 10-fold increase."
These restrictions include a ban on dining at restaurants from 6pm, and the mandating of masks in all outdoor public areas. They are set to remain in force until Aug 25.
"In extending the social distancing measures, the government has balanced the ... competing factors of public health protection, economic impact and social acceptance," said a food and health bureau spokesperson on Monday.
"At present, the severe epidemic situation does not allow any room to relax social distancing measures."
EXPANDED TESTING FOR SOME GROUPS
A spokesperson for the food and health bureau appealed for people's continued cooperation and reassured them of the government's containment efforts.
"We understand that people are getting impatient over the prolonged quasi-lockdowns and they wish to start resuming social and economic activities. However, it is not yet the time for relaxation and there is no room for complacency in epidemic control," he said.
Surveillance and testing have been ramped up significantly, with more than 700,000 tests conducted since early July, compared to about 350,000 tests from January to June.
Hong Kong will expand testing for high-risk and high-exposure target groups, which started in mid-July, he added.
These include elderly home employees, taxi and public light bus drivers, restaurant and market stall workers, frontline property management staff members, and foreign domestic helpers staying in boarding facilities.
Testing and quarantine arrangements for air and sea crew members have also been tightened.
