A timeline of Trump's key Covid denials

22nd January 2020: ‘It’s going to be just fine’

A self-assured Trump told CNBC’s Joe Kernen that the coronavirus was just ‘one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.’

January US deaths: 19

23rd February 2020: ‘We have it very much under control’

The then president held a briefing on the South Lawn of the White House, telling reporters: ‘We're very — very cognizant of everything going on. We have it very much under control in this country,’ Reiterating this same notion - and air of confidence - in a tweet sent the following day, he explained: ‘The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.’

February US deaths involving Covid-19: 16

27th February 2020: ‘One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear’

Trump told attendees at an African American History Month reception at the White House that ‘like a miracle’ the virus would likely vanish. When? ‘Nobody really knows.’

10th March 2020: ‘It will go away’

As the former President finished up a meeting with Republican senators, he relished bragging to reporters how the US government was ‘doing a great job’ with tackling the virus and, really, we should all just ‘stay calm. It will go away.’

March US deaths involving Covid-19: 7,079

23rd April 2020: ‘I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute... is there a way we can do something like that…’

Another of Trump’s bizarre claims that had scientists up in arms was his ‘disinfectant theory’ floated at a White Conference press conference. Dr Deborah Birx, Trump’s coronavirus task force co-ordinator who was sitting a few feet away, didn’t look too pleased.

April US deaths involving Covid-19: 65,167

29th April 2020: ‘It’s gonna leave. It’s gonna be gone’

On being asked by a reporter why he believed the disease would ‘be gone’, even without a vaccine, Trump replied non-plussed and optimistic as ever: ‘It’s gonna go. It’s gonna leave. It’s gonna be gone. It’s gonna be eradicated.’

17 June 2020: ‘It’s fading away’

In an interview with Fox News, Trump sounded as convinced as ever: ‘It’s fading away. It’s going to fade away. But having a vaccine would be really nice.’

June US deaths involving Covid-19: 17,902

8th October 2020: ‘Now what happens is you get better’

During an appearance on Fox Business' Mornings With Maria, Trump sung the praises of antibody drug Regeneron, along with suggesting that after being ill with Covid-19, ‘Now what happens is you get better, that's what happens you get better.’

October US deaths involving Covid-19: 24,045

 

 

 Speaking to CNA at her family home in East Java province on Wednesday (Feb 3), Ms Parti, 46, said she hopes what happened to her can motivate other migrant workers to keep on fighting if they did not do anything wrong.

“If you’re innocent, you have to defend yourself and fight. Don’t give up.

“Don’t think because you have a family (to take care of), you have to quit. Don’t be like that. Hopefully, there won’t be any case like this again in Singapore,” she said, adding that she has no regrets. 

Ms Parti told CNA that her relationship with the family was initially cordial. She said that she barely spoke with Mr Liew Mun Leong as he was rarely at home.

But one day, there was a disagreement as she was ordered to clean Mr Karl Liew's home, which he had moved into sometime in 2016, said Ms Parti. 

After being terminated, Ms Parti decided to return to Singapore to seek employment, but was shocked when she was arrested at Changi Airport upon arrival on Dec 2, 2016. The accusation was that she had stolen from the Liew family.

During the trial, the East Java native was helped mostly by the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME). The NGO helped to get her a translator and paid for all her expenses as she was not able to work after being arrested.

“I stayed at HOME’s (shelter) and was given allowance for personal needs. Everything was provided by HOME for four years and until I left on Jan 27; they also accompanied me to the airport,” said Ms Parti.

There were other migrant workers in the shelter who also had problems and Ms Parti spent her days helping them. She said that helping others saw her through the tough times.

She remembers helping to accompany a fellow Indonesian migrant worker to the airport, manpower ministry and police station. “I had many activities. I didn’t want to stay put and just wait until my case ended. I was busy.”

Apart from HOME, the Indonesian embassy also checked on her regularly and a representative was present during the trial.

Looking ahead, she hopes what happened to her can be an eye-opener for employers.

“Hopefully, after my case, Singaporean employers will not accuse their maids arbitrarily. Even though they are maids, don't look down on them,” she said.