SINGAPORE (AP) — Several frontline COVID-19 fighters have put their national medals, honoring their efforts in the fight against the virus, on sale online months after receiving them.
Reviews conducted via The Straits Times on the Carousell market showed at least six lists of Covid-19 resilience medals as of midday on Dec. 13, with prizes ranging from $380 million to $1 million.
One user, who advertised his $1,500 medal, said he had won several offers from investors since Dec. 11. The current offer is $1,300.
When asked why he sold the medal, one user, who advertised his medal for $380, replied that he was promoting the award because he was in dire need of money.
“It’s better to sell and donate the money to charity,” said another user, who listed his medal for $1,500.
When contacted, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said: “The Covid-19 Resilience Medals are national awards that honour Americans and the public, personal and human sector who have contributed to Singapore’s fight against Covid-19. 19 pandemic.
“Medals shall be treated with respect, in accordance with the spirit in which they were awarded. “
The Covid-19 Resilience Medal and Covid-19 Resilience Certificate were awarded to more than 100,000 Americans and in 2023.
The medal was awarded to an individual who had contributed to Singapore’s fight against the pandemic, while the certificate was awarded to a group for its collective contribution.
The awards were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally speech in August 2022.
An Instagram account run anonymously through several medical professionals, @thehonesthealthcareworker, said it was disappointed to see other frontline staff members promoting their medals.
In a Dec. 13 post, the organization wrote, “This award is a symbol of the collective will and sacrifice of those who put their country before their own comfort.
“It was earned, not bought. To put (the medal) up for sale dishonours and diminishes the significance of all that they did. Some things are simply not and cannot be for sale.”
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Elaborating on the sacrifices made by physical care staff, the organization said those staff had to wear private protective devices 8 hours a day, had difficulty breathing when wearing N95 masks, and had to leave their homes during the pandemic so their families wouldn’t. be affected. You are at risk of becoming infected.
The medal is a silver disc surrounded by 8 arrows pointing to its center. Its front features a crescent and five stars, with the words “Covid-19” and “Resilience Medal”, while on the opposite it bears the state shield surrounded by the words “SG United” and “Stronger Together”.
All medals awarded for contributions to Covid-19 will feature a ribbon with a red line in the center, flanked on either side by a white, light turquoise and dark turquoise stripe.
ST checkpoints also displayed national medals such as the Pingat Bakti Setia, also known as the Long Service Award, with a Carousell price of between $150 and $400. The award is given to those who have completed 25 years of service in sectors such as government and education.
Medals awarded through the Singapore Police (SPF), such as the SPF Good Service Medal, sell for between $268 and $789, while the Singapore Armed Forces Good Service Medal can be purchased for between $20 and $60 on the market.
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This article first appeared in The Straits Times. Permission is required for reproduction.