In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave a series of television broadcasts in English, Malay, and Mandarin outlining national measures to be taken against the crisis. He seemed to switch languages every time he took a sip of water, leading to social media dubbing the cups that he used a "magic cup". This is one of the "magic cups" that have since become an immediately recognisable aspect of Singapore's pandemic experience, featured in viral memes and even spawning merchandise.
