TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hoards of Singaporeans scrambled to buy pearl milk tea after Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) announced that the soft lockdown of the country would be extended to June 1, with all stores selling drinks, packaged snacks, cakes, pastries, and deserts to shut down from Wednesday (April 22).

The purpose is to cut the percentage of essential service personnel working every day from the current 20 percent of the population down to 15, according to NOWnews. The imminent shutdown of stores providing nonessential foods drove many Singaporeans out to buy the last cup of pearl milk tea they may have for 41 days.

The Singaporean rush to buy pearl milk tea, a Taiwanese invention, was shared by Taiwanese netizens on social media site PPT, drawing many comments, such as, "Pearl milk tea is really the honor of Taiwan," "After the rush in Japan, it’s now Singapore’s turn," "I feel an urge to buy a cup after seeing this," and "Welcome to Taiwan; drink to your heart's content." 

However, some other PPT users pointed out that if Taiwan were to impose a similar ban tomorrow, there would be long lines in front of stores too.