Virus outbreak a litmus test for Singapore's new leaders

FILE PHOTO: A Chinese restaurant displays a sign that says 'disinfected' as businesses adapt to less footfall due to the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore February 21, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - When a rare moment of panic buying shook Singapore's highly ordered society over fears about the spread of coronavirus, it took a personal broadcast from the prime minister to bring calm.

As Lee Hsien Loong, a scion of Singapore's founding family, prepares to step down after elections expected this year, the handling of the virus has become the defining test for a new generation of leaders.