Yesterday (30 March), a special movement had been called for, inviting all Singaporeans to clap from their homes to appreciate and applaud the people in service like the doctors, nurses, carers, cleaners and supermarket staff. This invitation was created by a British expat named Martin Verga on Facebook, as he was deeply moved by the clapping movement that occurred in the United Kingdom where people clapped for their frontliners and carers.
Mr Verga thought the Singaporean people in service and frontliners deserve to be applauded, therefore, he urged everyone to take part in their own homes by clapping as loud as they can from their windows, doors, or balconies.
Many Singaporeans were supportive of the movement and decided to take part at 8pm last night. Witnesses recorded videos of the event and uploaded them onto social media, showing that not only Singaporeans are staying at home, but also giving support to the people in the frontlines.
Twitter users also collectively shared their opinions on this particular event, and many of them were supportive of it.
Kresh (@Kumz94YNWA) expressed that it had been a long while since he last saw or heard Singaporeans coming together with island-wide applause for the hardworking doctors and nurses. Others commented that they were grateful for the people in service during the COVID-19 pandemic for keeping Singaporeans safe.
With multiple videos uploaded onto Twitter, netizens were happy about the movement as they felt that #clapforSGUnited was a way to support the frontliners.
On a post by Shin Min Daily News on Facebook, they shared a compilation of videos recorded during the clapping movement in various neighbourhoods, expressing gratitude towards the people in service.
“Have you clapped tonight? This movement was created among the people to applaud and appreciate all the unsung heroes in the frontlines (such as medical personnel, supermarket staff, cleaners etc.) who are relentlessly fighting the virus outbreak. And people all over Singapore were supportive of this movement!”
Various netizens left positive comments under the post, doing their part to show support to both the movement as well as the frontliners.
M Jenny Mok: “I’m grateful for all the contributions by the frontliners! Wishing everyone safety! Let us all work together, and go Singapore!”
Sally Khor: “Go Singapore! Thank you, doctors and nurses, for your contributions. I am grateful for you!”
Caroline Love: “Go Singapore. I’m thankful for the medical personnel in the frontline. Keep it up.”
However, not everyone was happy about the event. Certain netizens thought this clapping movement was unnecessary and could not do much to support the people in the frontlines.
Netizen Do Ti La had commented that their neighbourhood did not participate in this movement. They mentioned that this movement would only be interesting if everyone in the neighbourhood took part together.
Do Ti La: “No one is clapping at my area. If I clapped alone, people might think I’m crazy. This movement will only be interesting if everyone from the neighbourhood to ‘work together’!”
A few other netizens thought this movement was silly, claiming that people had too much free time on their hands.
Jason Koh: “Too much free time on their hands!”
Bu Xiang Xin commented that being socially responsible is more effective than just participating in the clapping movement.
