Goh Meng Seng tries too hard to discredit the PAP

First there was Terry Xu and his attempt to discredit police with fake news.

And then, there is Goh Meng Seng, the leader of an opposition party (People's Power Party) with his fake news to discredit the government.

These are also the same people who talk about integrity and accountability.

Singapore’s business elites are by far the highest value creators on the planet according to the Elite Quality Index 2021

Singapore is ranked #1,

The city state’s business elites are by far the highest value creators on the planet according to the Elite Quality Index 2021.

The Elite Quality Index (EQx) is a political economy index that measures the ability of the elite business models in a country – on aggregate – to create value, rather than to extract value.

The index examined 151 countries across four conceptual areas to determine the quality of the elites in any given country. These are: Economic Power, Economic Value, Political Power and Political Value.

Switzerland is ranked 2nd in the EQx Global Ranking, followed by UK in 3rd position.

The U.S. defends its rank (5th) and shockingly Germany falls from 3rd place in 2020 to 15th in 2021. Israel made the largest gains in the EQx2021 moving up a global rank to 7th.

Surprise 1: Elites are a mathematical certainty; they are inevitable
Surprise 2: Elites supply essential coordination capacity to society
Fact 1: Elites can be high-quality value creators
Fact 2: Elites can also be low-quality value extractors

South Asians? When you need them to do the cleaning, they are there.

When you need them to clean your blocks and neighbourhood so that you can have a safer environment, they are the ones to do the job, increasing their risk of exposure to the virus. You don't care which part of South Asia they hail from.

Our border restriction measures are strict. How do I know, you ask? From a daily average of 200,000 arrivals a day at Changi Airport pre-covid to an average of 1200 arrivals a day. Changi Airport is like ghost town. If that is not strict, what is? Total shutdown?

You charged that the government cares more for 'their' economy than your lives. 'Their' economy is 'your' jobs. You expect them not only to keep your safe, but to ensure your livelihoods. Yes, you do. Because if there is no food on the table and your children are hungry and crying, you won't say, "Thank you, government, that our lives matter more than our livelihoods."

Since 23 April 2021, all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history (including transit) to India within the last 14 days are not allowed entry into Singapore, or transit through Singapore.

#overheard

*the suffering is real*

Just caught up briefly with an Indian friend of mine recently.

He is originally from India. His family and him decided to settle down and make a living in Singapore a number of years ago.

He shared that close to thirty of his colleagues in India recently passed away because of Covid. Within his business unit, just slightly less than ten also contracted Covid but thankfully they survived, for now.

The suffering in India is real. It is pervasive and is widespread.

* an Indian friend of my wife described the situation in New Delhi as "a bloodbath".

I can imagine the desperation of those who are living and working here would feel, when they have loved ones stranded in India, especially so if they are young or elderly, vulnerable and living alone.

It is a life and death issue to them, literally.

And it is not unreasonable and perfectly understandable to expect some of them living here, to try their utmost to ensure the safety of their loved ones by arranging for them to be moved here. I would do the same too if I know that the safety of my loved ones is being threatened.

Perhaps we need to view Covid not simply as a country-specific problem.

Perhaps we need to view Covid more broadly as a shared humanity problem.

Perhaps.......

When viewed in this light, yes, we may be suffering much unwelcomed inconveniences because of the semi lockdown situation we are in.

But when compared to the dire and hopeless situation in India, our 'suffering' really pales in comparison.

..... we weep with those who weep.

Vaccines help nations exit pandemic faster

The messenger RNA (mRNA) shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna are better at stopping people from becoming contagious, helping reduce onward transmission.

Other vaccines, while effective in preventing acute illness or death from Covid-19, appear not to have this extra perk to the same degree.

So get vaccinated, will ya?

We can't shut our borders for a long time or we will end up having our lives without a livelihood.

Interview with PM Lee Hsien Loong at the inaugural Global Forum on Economic Recovery, hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce on 19 May 2021

We are a small open country, we have to deal with it as things go along, and we cannot afford to seal our borders off. Other bigger countries can, to a very great extent. For Singapore, you need food, fuel, people moving in and out, even during COVID-19. You have to do it to the extent that you can, while keeping ourselves safe with all the precautions, (such as) testing, contact tracing apps, protocols to make sure that people come in through proper procedures and are vetted, and so on. Not without risk, but unavoidable.

To open up completely again and have free travel, it is a long way off. Even travel bubbles – countries talk about it, but that needs confidence on both sides and we only want to bubble with countries which are safer than us. That means it is not easy to make a match.

- PM Lee on free air travel

Firstly, that you cannot afford to slacken. Each time you think you have got the COVID-19 situation under control, and you know how to respond to it, it pops up in a new direction. It can be a mutant, it can be a new avenue which you did not spot, but you cannot afford to slacken, and you must always think beyond what you imagine is likely to happen.

- PM Lee on the pandemic

Interview with PM Lee Hsien Loong at the inaugural Global Forum on Economic Recovery, hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce on 19 May 2021.

You need workers to do the installation.

Singapore General Hospital has decided to enhance the ventilation in their B2 and C class wards (which are currently spot-cooled with opened windows and oscillating fans) by installing air extractors. These will remove stale and humid air from the wards, keeping everyone safe.

Here's a learning point for everyone.

You need workers to do the installation. If you are shorthanded, the installation will either take a very long time to do, or not be done at all.

Now, I am just using this installation job to illustrate to you - the netizens - the impact on companies deprived of workers. Eventually, the impact will reach you. Your BTO, the hospital still under construction, your renovation work, that urgent repair.

So when you shout 'projects can wait' on social media, you haven't understood the full impact.

Every day, every week, every month, migrant workers who have finished their contract go home because they are homesick, they are worried about their families.

With a daily arrival of an average 1200 a day at Changi Airport and this figure includes returning Singaporeans and PRs, the number of workers allowed to enter barely replaces those who have gone back.

These workers are not just in the CMP sector. They are also in essential services such as PUB, checking on the quality of water every day etc.

The impact is not limited to companies when they have to shut down. Eventually, you will be the ones suffering a degradation of services.

Photo credit: Singapore General Hospital Facebook

The Delhi Chief Minister has no competence to speak on behalf of India.

 

PSP making an anonymous donation and then claim support from the mosque for their outreach?

Simply deceptive. What does Tan Cheng Bock have to say?

Making an anonymous donation and then claim support from the mosque for their outreach? The mosque has every reason to feel used.

After being exposed by the mosque, PSP quietly removed the name of the mosque from their post.

[We were surprised to find out that subsequently the donation was publicized by a political party, and the impression was given that the mosque had knowingly accepted the donation. That is incorrect.

Our mosque does not participate in any political activities. Nor have we knowingly accepted donations from political parties. We are committed to our role in serving congregants well through our religious and social development programmes.

- Darul Makmur Mosque Management Board]

Desmond Lee tells Jamus Lim and Leong Mun Wai to read the ITM

One excuse often heard from the Opposition is that not enough information is made available to them. Yet, whatever information that is available in the public realm, they don't even bother to read.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee encouraged WP Jamus Lim and PSP Leong Mun Wai to read the Industry Transformation Map for the construction sector to better acquaint themselves with the progress and development in digitalizing the sector.

Jamus has no response to being asked to read to find out more.

Leong Mun Wai's response was that he has no time to read. So many pages of materials coming out of Parliament every day. Where got time to read?

Is there too much information? Too little information? Too little time?

Leaders set the tone for the party and their supporters.

Leaders set the tone for the party and their supporters.

WP whipped up a xenophobic frenzy in 2011. This was despite the fact that back in 2010, then Finance Minister Tharman had already announced in his budget speech that the inflow of foreign workers would be tightened through a series of measures, beginning with the phased in gradual increase in levies over several years, and followed by reduced quota and etc.

The measures were phased in over several years to give businesses time to adjust and to automate. That didn't stop the WP from making political capital gain through xenophobia.

Indeed, when asked if they would ride on xenophobia for election campaigning, the answer Sylvia Lim gave was not 'no' but that they would not push it to the point where it become 'uncontrollable'. One must be a superwoman to think that there is a button where you can just pull the plug when you think xenophobia is reaching the point of being uncontrollable.

Hate is bred. It does not happen overnight. It is bred over time through constant efforts - on social media especially where many anti-establishment hate groups have sprouted up to spread their hate and extend their influence with falsehoods and misinformation, and many memes.

WP Pritam Singh responded to Minister Shanmugam's speech in Parliament saying that WP stands against racism, 'no ifs, no buts'.

Let's hope that he meant what he said and he said what he meant, and that the party, their proxies in the alternative, and their supporters will no
w move away from xenophobia and racism.

Shanmugam tells PSP Leong Mun Wai to put up a motion on CECA for debate

Singapore has been going down the path of racism and xenophobia. Let's see which opposition politician will stand up and consistently speak against racism and xenophobia and not pay lip service in Parliament.

In Parliament, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that if Singapore continues to fan the flames of racism, we will get to an uncomfortable position.

He said:

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞.

Comments on these sites have Indians being called “cockroaches”, “rapists” and so on. 𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡, 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 – 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, “𝐎𝐡, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬”, 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐄𝐂𝐀”, 𝐨𝐫 “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲”, 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐱𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.

Just ask whether racism and xenophobia can ever be justified on these grounds.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐂𝐄𝐂𝐀, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧. If anyone here believes that CECA is a problem, put it up for a Motion, debate it openly and let’s hear whether Singaporeans benefit or lose from it.

I am looking at you, Mr Leong. I invite you to put up a Motion to debate CECA. You know that most of what is said about CECA is false.

And, what is happening on the ground? We are picking up from different coffeeshops. This morning, a friend of mine overheard in a coffeeshop, a conversation between five elderly gentlemen. They discussed the incident covered in the media of an Indian expatriate family.

We don’t know the facts. Several highly racist comments targeting Indians. So, it’s getting to the ground, and being repeated.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥.

𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐱𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

Singapore is 725 square kilometers of rock. We have to make a living by being open to the world. We will fail if we allow racism and xenophobia to become prevalent, and it is contrary to everything that has made us successful and proud to be Singaporean.

We will fail if we allow racism and xenophobia to become prevalent: Shanmugam

We are not 3.6 billion people with a large market to offer the world.

We are a tiny rock with 3.6 million Singaporeans whose government has managed to negotiate trade agreements with countries much larger than us through good governance, good policies, and by making ourselves relevant to the world.

Law Minister Shanmugam has issued the challenge to PSP Leong Mun Wai to move a motion to debate on CECA if he thinks it does not benefit Singaporeans.

Stop the xenophobia. Have a debate in Parliament instead and let every falsehood be put to rest.

Likewise, if WP supporters think the same on the CECA, they should ask WP to move a motion to debate on CECA. After all, they voted them to be their voice in Parliament. What's stopping them?

Singapore's success is built on multiracialism. If we do not treasure multiracialism, we will lose it.

The Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Bill - also known as SINGA

The Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Bill - also known as SINGA - was passed in Parliament yesterday.

The Bill allows the Government to borrow for huge infrastructure investments while spreading repayment over generations of Singaporeans. This approach is fair as such infrastructure investments are enjoyed by generations of Singaporeans, so each pay for their share of the investments.

With Singapore's triple-A credit rating, Singapore is able to borrow at low interest rates while reinvesting our reserves for higher returns.

The triple-A credit rating is the result of fiscal prudence and sound fundamentals.

However, we have an opposition that wants to erode this sound financial position.

WP for example, wants more of NIRC (currently 50%) to be made available for recurrent spending. This means less to reinvest and therefore less returns to spend in the future.

Not only that, they want land proceeds to be used directly for spending. Selling assets to spend is the fastest way to deplete reserves.

And then there is PSP Leong Mun Wai which thinks we have huge reserves and there is thus no need for the government to borrow for large infrastructure investments.

Such calls for in no time, erode our fiscal position and therefore, fiscal rating as well.

Our fiscal rating is hard earned. There are very few countries left in the world that have a triple-A credit rating. It is a rating not to be taken for granted.

We hope that the opposition can be more responsible not only to present Singaporeans but also to the young and to future generations of Singaporeans.

Ban flights from India?

If we had banned flights from India, we would be able to keep out the double mutant infectious Indian variant of the virus?

If only it is so simple.

First, it is infectious. This variant is now circulating in more than 44 countries according to WHO. The virus does not have to come in from India. It can come in from anywhere in the world as long as the world is not free of COVID-19.

So what do we do? Ban all flights from all countries?

Can Singapore ban all flights and shut down Changi Airport until the pandemic is over?

Can Singapore also shut down our seaport since the virus also comes in through sea crew?

Can Singapore afford to break our own supply chains and expect manna from heaven while we close all our doors and keep the storm out?

Talk is cheap. If you are required to stay at home and shut your doors, and there shall be no movement in and out of your home, in no time you will run out of supply, and starve.

Incidentally, international flights between India and Singapore have been suspended by the Indian Government since March 2020.

Given the infectiousness of the double mutant, the taskforce is casting the net wide to detect every case circulating in the community. They are testing not just close contacts but people who could have come into contact with confirmed cases, people with possible exposure.

For every case placed on quarantine that tests positive, it means they have succeeded in removing one potential spreader in the community and cut a potential chain of transmission.

But controlling the spread is not the responsibility of the taskforce alone. It is everyone's responsibility. It is a social compact. Everyone has to adhere strictly to the safe management measures.

<< How Mr Goh managed to get President Bill Clinton to agree to a US-Singapore free trade agreement (FTA), a landmark breakthrough at the time. >> By Han Fook Kwang

 << How Mr Goh managed to get President Bill Clinton to agree to a US-Singapore free trade agreement (FTA), a landmark breakthrough at the time. >> By Han Fook Kwang

US officials were not keen on the idea and had blocked it from reaching the White House.

Mr Goh knew he had to get close and personal with President Clinton and the opportunity came at the Apec meeting in Brunei in 2000. At the end of dinner as the leaders were leaving the banquet room, Mr Goh made his move and told the President that he was planning to play a round of golf after the dinner.

President Clinton replied: "I was thinking of looking for someone to play with. Let's play."

But the plan was almost scuttled when moments later, a loud thunderclap shook the place and heavy rain poured down.

A US security officer turned to Mr Goh and told him that it did not look like game-on.

This is how the author recounted what happened next in the book (Standing Tall):

"Without missing a beat, Goh replied very assertively: "No, it is on. I know my weather. This is a tropical storm. It will pass within half an hour. The golf course is half an hour from this place. So, by the time we arrive, the rain would have stopped."

To be safe, he raised the odds. He told the US Secret Service officer: "Anyway, I'm going. But the President does not have to go if he thinks the weather is bad."

The one-upmanship paid off.

"If I'm going, how could he not go?" said Goh with a grin.

The rest, as they say, is history. The two played golf that night and after the game, over drinks, the Singapore Prime Minister made his FTA pitch which his golfing partner promptly agreed to, and the breakthrough was achieved.

A leader needs to be able to think and act on his feet and to seize opportunities when they present themselves.

Officials can do detailed ground work, but without political leaders to act decisively at the right moment, the best-laid plans may come to nought.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 "𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭" 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚.

 

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 "𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭" 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚.

We wouldn't have been able to manage the pandemic the way we did if there was no trust.

Trust is of vital importance, not just for the media but governments and institutions.

“In Singapore, we take great pains — if you look at the Government — to retain, maintain the trust of the people because, if there is no trust, we can't govern well, we won’t be able to take long-term measures.

"𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝-𝟏𝟗 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝… (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟) 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝, it would inevitably lead to a government and political leadership that is not trusted, and we are all finished if that happens.”

Another circuit breaker will be a major setback for everyone, says PM Lee in his 2021 May Day Rally speech

Let's all play our part. Another circuit breaker will be a major setback for everyone.

PM Lee said at the May Day Rally this morning:

"The Government is doing everything we can to prevent these clusters from spreading in the community. And we will have to be agile and decisive in our response, to tighten measures promptly, when it's necessary, to clamp down on the spread and to avoid going into a second circuit breaker.

"I hope Singaporeans will work with us and not let down our guard.

"It is not time to relax yet. This is a marathon. Let's keep jogging. Let's keep ourselves safe.

"Don't make the mistake which other countries have done, celebrate too early, relax too fast, let your guard down, cause another wave to come - very often worse than the first - and more nasty drastic measures become necessary."