SINGAPORE - About three in four members of the public think that the Government has provided sufficient information on Covid-19 in recent months, according to polls, said Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo on Friday (March 4).
Over 86 per cent agreed that these messages helped in their decision to get vaccinated, she added.
Speaking during the debate on her ministry's budget in Parliament, Mrs Teo said the Covid-19 pandemic has underlined the crucial importance of retaining public trust and maintaining trusted sources of information.
She was responding to MPs such as Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC), who had raised the need for trusted information sources and genuine engagement, and a holistic approach to target the spread of misinformation.
Mrs Teo said: "We could not have handled a public health crisis if the public didn't trust the health authorities or didn't believe the information they were receiving.
"That is precisely why, from the very outset, we resolved to keep the public informed as fully and expeditiously as possible. We were determined to tell it as it is, never fudge or sugar-coat, never hide."
To preserve this trust, there needs to be appropriate laws in place, she said.
For example, the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act was invoked on 20 occasions to curb Covid-19-related misinformation.
The ministry has also expanded and refreshed its communication channels, as well as launched targeted campaigns such as VacciNationSG, to support the country's vaccination drive, said Mrs Teo.
Gov.sg's 10 platforms - such as WhatsApp, Twitter and Telegram - have close to two million more subscribers compared with before the pandemic, she added.
The ministry also commissioned e-getai shows for seniors that received more than 7.5 million views, and music videos with over nine million views online.
To better engage Singaporeans from all walks of life and understand their concerns, government feedback unit Reach utilised e-listening points and virtual dialogues.
In 2021, more than 70,000 Singaporeans contributed feedback to Reach, up from 59,000 in 2020, Mrs Teo said.
She added: "It is critical that we maintain these high levels of trust, as we strive to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic and see through future crises as Singapore Together."
