Singapore speeds up travel restart as COVID keeps Malaysia gripped

Singapore and Malaysia are eager to jump-start their economies. But just as the former appears to be turning a corner and moves to accelerate its reopening, the latter is scrambling to contain another wave of infections. Their diverging fortunes highlight the persistent challenge of dealing with this virus and the difficulty of balancing health and economic imperatives. Singapore on Sunday confirmed 10 new coronavirus cases, marking the 11th consecutive day with fewer than 20. The low numbers are encouraging the city-state to reestablish links with the world -- links the trade and travel hub needs to sustain its economy. On Thursday, Singapore began allowing general travelers from Vietnam and Australia, excluding the hard-hit state of Victoria. They follow Brunei and New Zealand on Singapore's list of greenlit countries of origin for inbound visitors. The lifting of the border restrictions for the four countries is not reciprocal, and the actual number of people entering the city-state is expected to remain limited for the time being. Yet, Singapore believes these unilateral reopenings are still meaningful. "It is like a standing invitation," Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said in parliament last Tuesday. "Although the other countries are not ready to lift their restrictions now, Singapore can be top of mind when they are ready eventually." Moreover, Ong said Singapore will start discussions with low-risk countries and regions on what it calls "air travel bubbles" for general travelers. For business travelers, the city-state has already set up reciprocal bubbles with China, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Brunei -- one by one since June. <br/>