WHEN Singaporeans started panic-buying, their prime minister talked to them. Yes, the prime minister talked to, and not spoke to or addressed, his fellow citizens.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the verbs “speak” and “talk” both generally mean “say words”, but there are some small differences in how they are used. Speak is more formal than talk.“Fear and anxiety are natural human reactions. We all want to protect ourselves and our families….,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told his fellow citizens.

“But fear can do more harm than the virus itself. It can make us panic, or do things which make matters worse, like circulating rumours online, hoarding face masks or food, or blaming particular groups for the outbreak,” the premier added.

The panic buying started after the republic’s outbreak response was stepped up one level to orange on February 7. The orange alert level meant that the outbreak was deemed to have moderate to high public health impact.

But Lee assured his people that there was no need to panic. 

“We are not locking down the city or confining everybody to stay at home. We have ample supplies, so there is no need to stock up with instant noodles, tinned food, or toilet paper,” he said.

Lee’s message, posted on social media in three languages – English, Mandarin and Malay – won much praise. It appeared to have an immediate impact as long queues reported at supermarkets on that Friday night returned to normal levels at the weekend.

Here, panic buying has escalated today. Pictures and videos of Malaysians heading to their nearest supermarkets and grocery stores to stock up on goods have been making the rounds on social media. 

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has already urged the public to stop panic-buying.

But it is the prime minister who needs to talk to the people. And now is the time. – March 17, 2020.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.