Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA) - Temasek Foundation International of Singapore has handed over one million masks to Riau Islands Province to help avert the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

"The assistance was handed over this afternoon," spokesman for the Riau Islands Province's Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling, Tjetjep Yudiana, stated here on Wednesday.

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Riau Islands Acting Governor Isdianto expressed gratitude to the non-profit organization from Singapore for the assistance, adding that the masks will be used to handle coronavirus cases in the province.

Foundation representative Lim Hock Chuan handed over the assistance to the Riau Island administration while he held a discussion with Secretary of the Riau Islands Provincial Government TS Arif Fadillah and Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore I Geda Ngurah Swajaya.

At the meeting, Fadillah, concurrently the executive chief of the Riau Islands Province's Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling, spoke of the latest developments in the spread of COVID-19, including its handling.

Fadillah expressed gratitude to the assistance extended by the Government of Singapore and the Indonesian ambassador to Singapore. The assistance, in the form of one million masks, will support the Riau Islands governor's policy that makes it mandatory for its citizens to wear masks while conducting outdoor activities.

EDITED BY INE

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Translator: Nikolas PanamaSuharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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