I’m a Singaporean with Malaysian grandparents.
My grandmother just passed away and I haven’t been able to see her for more than a year. My grandfather is 87 this year and he isn’t very healthy anymore. Doctors said he could go at any time.
I really hope our two governments can work together to come up with a plan for borders to open because I don’t know about other Singaporeans, but for Singaporeans like me with ageing family members in Malaysia, it has been a nightmare. Singapore and Malaysia aren’t like any other pair of countries. These borders have actually separated many families.
Instead of pushing to find solutions with countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan, I hope the SG government can really try to work with the Malaysian government to come up with some solution for cross-border travel for the vaccinated (subject to a test). Many of us have family in Malaysia and I know it probably doesn’t mean much to our cold-hearted, uncaring politicians and some of our less compassionate compatriots, but at least understand that our foreign policy can’t be to just “wait for something to happen with the other guy.”I don’t like the Malaysian government either.
I think they are incompetent, arrogant, and corrupt. But I really doubt a solution can’t be reached. There just needs to be some framework for cross-border travel to resume for the vaccinated. Please. Our politicians are supposed to the best at foreign policy.
You mean to tell me there isn’t a political science course called “how to deal with third-world governments” that someone in MFA must have taken? I’m begging you. Please.
I want to spend time with my grandfather before he leaves us.