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Published 20:47 IST, June 1st 2020

Singapore minister says 'not enough sheep to produce cotton', netizens start schooling him

“Baba black sheep have you any wool? Simple nursery rhymes to remember OK,” read one Facebook comment on the Singapore minister's comments during the interview.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
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In what is being said a slip of words, a Singaporean minister said that the cotton in the country came from sheep rather than plants during an interview on national television that has led to an onslaught of mockery online. Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing cited a lack of a good population of the sheep in Singapore to explain the country’s reliance on foreign trade as of May 31. The internet shared the footage online as users hashtagged the video as #sciencefail and #Cottonsheep.  

Earlier, trade minister Chang gained popularity as he distributed protective face masks to combat the spread of the coronavirus while stating that there weren’t many commodities that Singapore could produce on its own. He then extended the example of the sheep and wool on national television that triggered hilarious reactions countrywide.

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Singaporeans were rendered shocked at the misinformation as they took to the internet to educate the minister. “Baba black sheep have you any wool? Simple nursery rhymes to remember OK,” read one Facebook comment. “To anyone (especially young children) watching the video – cotton definitely doesn’t come from sheep, it comes from cotton plants!” Chan promptly took to clarify in a Facebook post. “I should catch up on some sleep,” he added, further prompting a user to respond, “I heard counting sheep helps.”

Masks better than shields that have gaps 

However, it wasn’t the minister’s first-ever goof up as in February, Chan was heavily mocked over a recording in which he said panic buyers were behaving like “idiots” amid the closed-door meeting at a commerce chamber. In a separate incident, he was heard saying, “The design of face shields typically leaves a gap. Masks that are worn closely and completely over the nose and mouth do not have such gaps.” 

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20:47 IST, June 1st 2020