Barter Buddies: Singapore, Indonesia trade millions of masks for thousands of beds

Indonesia and Singapore showcased rare bilateral cooperation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through an exchange of needed supplies.

Singapore traded three million masks in exchange for 5,000 beds for its provisional hospitals. While the masks arrived Indonesia yesterday, the beds arrived in Singapore on Tuesday evening, according to Surbana Jurong, the firm which turned Singapore Expo into a COVID-19 isolation facility. The materials included bed frames, mattresses, and pillows. 

“In these tough times, the solidarity and unity among friends and neighbours becomes even more crucial,” the firm wrote online yesterday. “We are extremely grateful to Indonesia for their valuable support in supplying bedding items meant for community care facilities in Singapore, such as Singapore Expo.”

In turn, Indonesia’s Singaporean embassy said the three million masks have been delivered to the Riau Islands, as well as its army, and police. 

It was unsaid whether it was an even trade or money had changed hands. 

The shipment was facilitated with the help of Singapore’s state investment firm Temasek Holdings. CEO Ho Ching said the mattress shipment was the first of nearly 40,000 coming from Indonesia.

“We had an earlier shipment of 5000 beds and beddings. Now we have another shipment coming in – the first of over 38,000 beds and beddings more to come, also facilitated by the Indonesia ambassador to Singapore,” she wrote online yesterday.

Singapore Expo is one of several places designated community care facilities housing COVID-19 patients with mild cases.

Other sites being converted into such facilities include the Changi Exhibition Centre.

On a slightly unrelated note, Ho, the garrulous wife of the prime minister, posted a photo of an empty Tanjong Pagar Terminal with the caption: “Guess where? More importantly, guess what?”

Some speculated it could be the next provisional patient housing site.

“The 2 accommodation blocks in the mid-ground (edge of the wharf) where our [foreign worker] is being housed temporarily in isolation. With the space from [Port of Singapore Authority], we can potentially house more people there temporarily. It is also near to [Singapore General Hospital] where the medical facilities are ready to response,” Facebook user Seng Long Seah said.

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