Protests put some Singaporeans in Myanmar on edge

Demonstrations that erupted throughout Myanmar following the Feb 1 military coup have Singaporeans living there worried.

Take Mr Kenneth Lim, 58, who went out grocery shopping on Wednesday for the first time since last week.

"I'm planning to have a steamboat meal by myself, just to reduce the stress of being cooped up," said the senior executive of a real estate development firm in Yangon.

Mr Lim, who lives alone in Myanmar while his wife and daughter live in Singapore, now takes precautions when leaving home and plans his driving route carefully - timed down to the minute - so he does not get caught in the protests.

Since Feb 6, protesters have gathered in the thousands across major cities in Myanmar.

Demonstrations have largely remained peaceful, although police deployed water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds on Tuesday.

Martial law was imposed in cities like Yangon and Mandalay, with a curfew from 8pm to 4am. Protests have been banned and gatherings of more than five people are not allowed.

"In Yangon, the demonstrations still go on. There are also a lot of rumours flying around. It is definitely more tense than last week," said Mr Lim.

The firm Ms Joyann Lim works for in Yangon was closed earlier this week, and the digital marketer said her bosses are thinking of asking people to go on leave.

"Everyone's heart is not at work as quite a few of my colleagues are locals," said Ms Lim, 27, who has been in Myanmar for four years.

She does not take any particular precautions but has registered her residence in Myanmar with Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Ms Wang Lijun, who has lived in Myanmar since 2012, spent some time on the streets of Yangon this week observing the protests.

"I wanted to get a sense of what's happening on the ground," said the 34-year-old director of a consumer goods company. She is in Myanmar with her Singaporean husband.

"Emotions are running very high. There are large crowds but it's overall peaceful," said Ms Wang, who is a member of Singapore Association Myanmar (SAM), which has about 200 people.

SAM president Lee Leong Seng told The Straits Times earlier that it plans to link up with as many Singaporeans as possible so it can share information with them.

Those interviewed said it has been a challenge to stay connected with loved ones and updated on the news, as Internet and phone services have been intermittent in the last week.

The Internet was shut down over the past weekend, and connection has been unstable ever since the military detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party on Feb 1.

The military said the coup and the arrests were due to alleged voting fraud in last year's elections, which saw the NLD secure a landslide victory.

Patchy Internet connection has disrupted online lessons for 17-year-old student Ethan Swee, who lives in Yangon with his parents and younger brother. They have been in Myanmar since 2019 when his father was posted there for work.

"Every night, the school sends out an e-mail to update us on whether there are lessons tomorrow; this usually depends on whether there is Internet or not," he said.

Most Singaporeans in Myanmar receive daily messages and e-mails from MFA, which updates them on available relief flights or safety precautions.

MFA on Feb 1 advised Singaporeans to remain vigilant, monitor the local news and follow the advice of the local authorities.

Those interviewed are intending to stay for at least a few more weeks.

"I'm giving myself until the end of February to assess the situation and make a decision," said Mr Lim.

As for Ms Wang, she will take her cue from the Singapore Embassy in Yangon and her company's business continuity plans.

"If we receive the word from them to go, we will have to put personal safety as a priority," she said.

However, she believes that remaining in Myanmar during this time can provide moral support to local colleagues and friends.

"For those who have been living here for a long time, we want to be here as much as possible to encourage (the locals)," she said.