Foreign Minister Balakrishnan Says That S’pore Cannot Be Forced or Pressured Into Approving COVID-19 Vaccines

Singapore may be relatively small compared to other countries on the map, but from the looks of it…

Its size is not an indicator of its heart and spirit at all.

Over the years, our nation has overcome all obstacles to transform from a little-known sovereign island into the thriving business hub of today.

And it appears to be equally prolific in various other sectors, including the political front.

Foreign Minister Balakrishnan Says That S’pore Cannot Be Forced or Pressured Into Approving COVID-19 Vaccines

According to The Straits Times, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has made a bold declaration in Parliament:

The approval of vaccines will strictly be based off “science and healthcare needs”, and Singapore will not submit to any form of pressure while making such decisions.

“We cannot be bought, we cannot be bullied, we cannot be intimidated into either approving or disapproving any vaccine,” said Dr Balakrishnan on Monday (1 March).

“There will be pressure on us, there will be push and pulls, but we must conduct this just like another example of foreign policy, in a principled manner.”

He also stated that Singapore will act as a vital reference customer in the world of vaccines, as it is recognised around the world to be a country that prioritises science and healthcare needs.

Lest you’re wondering, the firm answer came in response to Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who had mentioned how power play seems to affect the distribution patterns of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Further Clarifications

Dr Balakrishnan also addressed other issues, such as Ms Lim’s query on the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility and whether it has been affected by bilateral arrangements for vaccine purchases.

In answer, Dr Balakrishnan stated how countries with additional resources, such as Singapore, would be making advance market commitments for the vaccines.

This way, pharmaceutical companies would be motivated to create vaccines in a timely manner.

“If there wasn’t such a facility to pool risk and therefore incentivise this simultaneous rapid development of vaccines, we wouldn’t be in this happy situation,” he explained, referring to how affiliated vaccine developers – which received advanced purchase agreements – have since been approved and are being utilised in several countries.

Meanwhile, Singapore will also be contributing towards the welfare of less financially-capable countries, so that essential workers can be vaccinated in all parts of the world.

Apart from an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) COVID-19 Response Fund, Singapore has also given test kits, personal protective equipment, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines to organisations in the region.

“We have not beat our drums about it, but that good work has been done and it has been appreciated by our neighbours,” said Dr Balakrishnan.

Meanwhile…

Following the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the issue of global travel has once again become plausible.

In fact, Singapore is currently discussing the mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccine certification with interested countries. In a speech broadcasted live on YouTube, Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong called it a “necessary step towards resuming global travel.”

Noting that a united effort must be made by all countries to put an end to the pandemic, PM Lee said that the world must strengthen its collective response to bring about a more sustainable and inclusive recovery for all.

According to CNA, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and his ministry have been engaging foreign counterparts and keeping track of global advancements on the development and recognition of vaccination certificates.

Mr Gan also explained that everyone who is vaccinated in Singapore will receive a vaccination card containing our particulars as well as the vaccine brand and date of vaccination. They can view these records on the SingPass or Healthhub app.

Such records would also be digitally stored in our National Immunisation Registry. If needed, the information will be given to other relevant government applications.

“The adoption of digital vaccination certificates locally and globally will improve our ability to ensure that certificates presented by visitors are authentic,” he said.

Feature Image: Youtube (MCI Singapore)