So Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted this picture of chickens for Valentine's Day, writing:
"It’s quite the romantic period, with Chap Goh Mei and Valentine’s Day just a few days apart.
Thought this photo of a pair of lovebirds especially fitting this rooster year."
Unfortunately, this comes a day after Today newspaper published a letter from Agri-food & Veterinary Authority director-general Yap Him Hoo, which said:
Various media reports may have given the impression that the AVA is taking action solely because of complaints about noise.
But that is not the case. Our concern is not about noise but about public health and safety.
The noise issues only serve to bring attention to the relatively high numbers of free-roaming chickens in certain areas, which in turn raise the risk of exposure to bird flu in these localities.
So one day, the chickens are potential carriers of disease to be culled.
The next day, they are "lovebirds".
In just 24 hours, the poor birds have been both vilified and romanticised by our Government.
It's like KFC's heart-shaped Chizza for Valentine's Day.
On one hand, it's supposed to represent love. On the other hand, it's also dead chicken meat.
Way to mash up Valentine's Day, chicken culling and Year of the Cock.
EARLIER: In defence of the KFC Chizza (sorta)
