PM Lee cancels meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook after catching flu, Cook meets DPM Lawrence Wong

PM Lee working from home because of flu but ‘otherwise fine’, he says

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the number of Apple employees here. We are sorry for the error.

Apple Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook is on a visit to Singapore and on his agenda was a meeting with Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong.

However, PM Lee had to give this meeting a miss because he came down with the flu, he said.

Source: MCI via Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook

Instead, Deputy PM Lawrence Wong met Mr Cook.

PM Lee catches flu but it’s not Covid-19

In a Facebook post on Friday (19 April), PM Lee said he had “caught a flu bug”.

Source: Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook

Thus, he had to “cry off” — an informal British phrase meaning to “cancel” — his meeting with Mr Cook.

Thankfully, PM Lee tested negative for Covid-19.

He is “otherwise fine”, he added, and is working from home.

PM Lee last met Tim Cook in 2023

PM Lee was looking forward to meeting Mr Cook, he said.

The last time the two men met was when PM Lee visited the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California in September last year.

Source: MCI via Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook

He expressed his delight that Apple had chosen Singapore for its regional hub and is putting down further roots by expanding its campus in Ang Mo Kio.

The US$250 million (S$340 million) investment is expected to create more jobs, adding to Apple’s workforce of 3,600 here.

He added that he is looking forward to the completion of the expanded campus, which will run fully on renewable energy.

Lawrence Wong meets Tim Cook instead

Though PM Lee didn’t meet Mr Cook, his soon-to-be successor held the fort.

In a Facebook post,DPM Wong, who will take over as PM next month, said during his meeting with the Apple boss, they discussed opportunities in Southeast Asia and the close partnership between Singapore and Apple.

Source: MCI via Lawrence Wong on Facebook

He looked forward to the partnership continuing to be strengthened in the years ahead, he added.

Tim Cook had a busy visit

Besides meeting the country’s leaders, Mr Cook had a very busy two days in Singapore.

According to his posts on X, on Thursday (18 April) he visited Gardens by the Bay with local photographer Lee Yik Keat.

Source: Lee Yik Keat on Instagram

He also visited the Cerebral Palsy Alliance School Singapore to see how students and educators there used Apple’s accessibility features to help them learn, communicate, and create.

Source: Tim Cook on X

That evening, he made an appearance at the Apple store in the Marina Bay Sands, where he was greeted by crowds and took in performances by local singer Benjamin Kheng and music producer Evan Low.

Source: Tim Cook on X

On Friday (19 April), he went on Mediacorp CLASS 95 radio show Muttons In The Morning to chat with the Muttons.

Source Muttons In The Morning on Facebook

Mr Cook also visited the new Apple Developer Center in one-north, the first in Southeast Asia.

Source: Tim Cook on X

He rounded off the day by meeting Apple staff at the company’s Ang Mo Kio campus.

Source: Tim Cook on X

He thanked Singapore for “a fantastic visit”, saying the company is “excited” to grow its presence with the expanded Ang Mo Kio campus, and looked forward to “deepening our connection with this amazing country”.

Also read: Apple announces S$340 million upgrade & expansion of Ang Mo Kio campus

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Featured image adapted from MCI via Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook and MCI via Lawrence Wong on Facebook.