Coronavirus Singapore
S'pore sends supplies to help Indonesia's Covid-19 fight
Air force planes deliver aid package; Landing Ship Tank will also be deployed
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan (left) and Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Singapore Suryo Pratomo at Paya Lebar Air Base yesterday during a ceremony to hand over the supplies. Items sent on the Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 aircraft included medical supplies and equipment such as oxygen cylinders, ventilators, masks, gloves and gowns.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Rosalind Ang and Linda Yulisman Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta, Rosalind Ang, Linda Yulisman
Two planeloads of medical supplies and equipment such as oxygen cylinders, ventilators, masks, gloves and gowns arrived in Indonesia from Singapore yesterday to support the country in its battle against the surge in Covid-19 cases.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force transported the supplies and equipment on board two C-130 planes which arrived at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia Anil Kumar Nayar handed over the aid to Indonesia's Foreign Ministry official Sigit Widiyanto.
Reaffirming both countries' strong bilateral relations yesterday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said that Singaporeans stand in solidarity with Indonesia in its fight against the pandemic.
"When we had to establish community care facilities very quickly, the Republic of Indonesia was very helpful to us in supplying essential equipment and furniture which we needed to outfit these," he said at Paya Lebar Air Base during the ceremony to hand over Singapore's humanitarian assistance to Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Singapore Suryo Pratomo.
"So now, at their point in need, we stand in solidarity with them for support."
This initiative, arranged at short notice, is a physical manifestation of the strength of the two countries' relationship, the minister said in a statement yesterday.
Separately, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Facebook that a Singapore Navy Landing Ship Tank will set sail soon to deliver compressed oxygen cylinders, which cannot travel by air.
Early last year, Singapore had also sent medical supplies like test kits and equipment to Indonesia.
Indonesia is facing a make-or-break battle against Covid-19. It reported 38,124 cases and 871 deaths yesterday, taking the total number of cases to more than 2.45 million and deaths to over 64,000.
Mr Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment who oversees the Covid-19 response, said as many as 30 oxygen concentrators, part of the 10,000 bought from Singapore, were set to arrive yesterday.
The Indonesian military said yesterday that Indonesia accepted 250 oxygen cylinders, 600 oxygen concentrators, 220 ventilators and personal protective equipment from Singapore.
