Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore: common threads, divergences, and lessons learned in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a prolonged global stress test in 2020. Southeast Asia is geographically and economically close to China, where COVID-19 first emerged. The region is home to diverse populations, densely packed cities, and a varied assort ment of countries all across the development ladder. This article explores the multi-faceted COVID-19 responses of three countries in Southeast Asia – Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore – countries who share a common history of British colonisation. This article explores the three countries’ overall responses to the pandemic, highlighting shared challenges and divergences based on their respective experiences: Singapore as an advanced, highly urbanised city state; Malaysia as an advanced developing country; and Myanmar as a lower-resourced developing country.