James Kon

The public is reassured that there is sufficient supply of food in the country and there is no need for panic buying.

This was said by Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah and at the press conference yesterday in response to the baseless rumour on social media of an imminent lockdown amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew said, “There is enough food for everyone. There is no need to panic buy.”

He expressed hope that there will not be a lockdown in the near future, though “even if we are under a lockdown, there is still enough imported food. And we will bring in more to make sure there is sufficient supply of food for the whole population”.

Meanwhile, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali reiterated that supermarkets are well stocked with essential food items such as poultry, eggs, beef, seafood, vegetables and fruits not only for the current days ahead but also for the month of Ramadhan and the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

He said, “Local producers of vegetables, poultry, beef and fish have assured us that they will continue to supply to meet the local demand. There is simply no need for the public to panic buy.”

The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) yesterday denied having issued a statement on social media that the country has declared a lockdown and instructed the public to go home immediately.

The public is advised to be more vigilant and not fall prey to baseless information shared on social media.