20th day of MCO (6.4.2020)

The number of new Covid-19 cases today dropped to 131, taking the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 3,793.The death increased by 1 to a total of 62.If it is an indication of the beginning of a downward trend it would be happy news. However it is too early to interpret this decrease in cases for today, but we may be seeing the positive outcome of our efforts despite the initial fumble. 

Today after much pressure from the people in the social media, the PM Tan Sri Muhyddin unveiled another additional RM10 billion stimulus package mainly to support the SMEs in this pandemic. Is it a sign that the PM is beginning to heed the calls of the people? We would like to believe so but from the recent political events it does not support that believe.

  

After 20 days with the MCO, the forefront fighters are getting worn out. Some of them work long hours, night after night in incomplete protective attire and non-conducive environment. The supportive services, like transport, food delivery, police, courts and even prisons are running into more problems. The people enclosed in the homes are becoming more uncomfortable, uneasy and fearful of the uncertainties about their jobs, their salary and about their children and their ailing elders in the family. 

To make matters worse, there many returning home from overseas, new spikes in hotspot areas and now illegal immigrants from infected areas. It looks like there is a high possibility the MCO may have to be extended. If this happens it will have a serious consequence on the economy and the wellbeing of everyone. Loss of jobs, poverty, food, health issues and social and psychological stress of staying together encaged, would be major problems that may go beyond control.

  

The political leadership and the government should do more, to address these issues with great urgency, fairly and with great wisdom. On our part we must cooperate fully with the authorities. This fight we are involved in concerns every citizen, we must all rise above all our differences and unite to win this battle as fast as we can.

19th day of MC0(5.4.2020)

The latest Covid- 19 figures indicates that the pandemic is still far from control. Today there were 179 new cases bringing the total to 3,662 and deaths to 61. 

What is worrying is the continuous steady increase in infection and deaths and also the spikes in scattered regions.Now the detention of MCO breachers in prisons may become another problem. Equally worrying is the large numbers of Malaysians returning from abroad. 

Looks like if the present trend continues, which is highly likely, the MCO may have to be extended much to the dislike of all.This will have a serious adverse effect on the economy and the wellbeing of everyone. Loss of jobs,poverty, food,health issues and psychosocial problems of staying enclosed would be major problems that may get out of hand.

  

The government and the political leadership should do more, to address these issues with urgency,fairly and with great wisdom.

Lessons from Covid-19

Covid-19 - The humbling experience

 

The Covid-19 pandemic worldwide including our country is taking us through some painful but humbling experience like never before. We have may made great strides from the primitive caveman to the present modern, sophisticated and civilized man. In the process we have achieved so much with our knowledge and technology. Today we have mastered the means to make sophisticated machinery and weapons, build skyscraping buildings, cruise the globe in sophisticated planes and luxury ships, we have reached the highest peaks and the deepest oceans and even reached distant planets in our high-tech rockets and spaceships. Yes, we managed to become the mightiest species on this planet. The earth which we came in as guests we are now the masters, or at least we think we are.

In the process we fought one another conquering vast lands and making others our slaves. We destroyed hills and mountains, we polluted the land and the sea. We destroyed fellow creatures on this planet. Yes, we committed many more atrocities and made ourselves the masters of the world. Despite the many warnings sent by Mother Nature to remind us we are just her guests, we refused to heed and continued to go on a carnage to destroy what is not ours.

Suddenly this one virus, Covid-19, brought people all over, including the rich and powerful nations, to their knees. It has made us realize that we are nothing compared to the forces of Nature. It has leashed widespread destruction of man and caused the collapse of all that he had achieved. This ultra-microscopic enemy continues to rage through the world, one country after another, to inflict fear in the hearts of man. Despite all the powerful weapons at our disposal, we stands helpless as none can destroy the invisible enemy.

In this assault by the Covid-19, it sends us an important message that money, wealth and power are useless against the enemy as it cannot be bought or destroyed with the most sophisticated weapons. Selfishness and greed takes you nowhere. Race, creed and culture are no barriers to its attack. Everyone from the highest to the lowest are not spared in this attack by Covid-19.

The fight against this new enemy can only be won by the good old gold standards we were known for as Malaysians; Unity of the people of all races, willingness to cooperate with one another, consideration for each other, willing to reach out to those affected and empathy for those in pain and dying in the hospitals. These are our lost values that resurfaces to remind us of their preciousness.

In short it is our willingness to transcend race and creed, to accept everyone as equal fellow citizens and unite as one race, Malaysian, to fight this invisible enemy that will bring us victory. From our experience we know these are the most difficult criteria to meet by our government and people. There are scattered calls for the return of these values that kept us together, but will our bloated human super ego ever permit us to humble ourselves to unite?

After the pandemic storm is finally over and we pick up the pieces and reorganize our lives, we should realize folly of our mentally; we are more superior and can control the universe and do to Nature as we please. However Covid-19 has come along to tell us no matter who we are, no matter how much worldly possession and power we have, we actually have no control over the Universe. We can never be masters only guests of  Mother Earth, so let us at least be good guests.

Ninth day of MCO

Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced another 235 new Covid-19 cases have been reported, bringing it to a total of 2,031 cases and the total; deaths to 23.  
With the sudden spike in the daily incidence there seem to be a panic- like reaction. Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob says will implement the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in areas with high infection rate, aimed at preventing Covid-19 from spreading outside the area and will make house-to-house detection of the virus easier.

The enforcers have become harsher by taking serious action to fine and imprison those who breach the rules of the MCO. At the same time a  1,000 more retired doctors and nurses are recruited to join the frontline force to screen and treat Covid-19 patients. There are also calls to recruit all the qualified doctors from unrecognised colleges waiting to be employed. This may a right move which the ministry must seriously consider
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After 8 days of the MCO, looks like we are not really progressing as the Covid-19 seems to be spreading fast. We knew the danger was coming but we underestimated its magnitude as to even allow the change of government during an oncoming assault by the Corona virus. Looks like the battle may last longer than we anticipated and there are real fears we don’t enough resources for prolonged warfare against our invisible enemy. We badly need a strong, tested and committed political leadership but sadly that does not seem to be forthcoming.  

All we can do is give our full cooperation by strictly staying at home and persuade others to do so too. Use whatever means available to us, the social media, to convince fellow citizens that the fight against Covod-19 is not a trivial matter but a serious battle that we have no option but to win,and win as quickly as possible.

Eighth Day of Movement Control Order (MCO

The second week of the MCO begins with the distressing news of increasing cases of Covid-19. This was announced by Health Ministry director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. There were four new deaths and 172 new Covid-19 cases, bringing it to a total of 19 fatalities and 1,796 cases as of noon Wednesday, March 25,2020.He also said that the expected number of cases could reach 6,000 and arrangements are being to cope with this increase. At the same time, he reassured the people that the health ministry is doing its best to keep the number lower.

As expected PM Tan Sri Muhyddin, announced the decision to extend the MCO for another 3 weeks to 14 April 2020.Unfortunately he stopped short of announcing any aid package for the B40 category of citizens who will be most affected by this new extension of the MCO.

Many in this lower income group have no proper jobs or regular income to weather through this difficult time. Imagine a family with of 3 or 4 children living in a low cost flat in the city, without steady income, how are they going to cope during this crisis?

It is only logical some form of monetary aid must be budgeted for them, otherwise we may end up with bigger chaos being added to the already chaotic Covid-19 crisis. Time is not our side and the PM must act decisively and with great urgency to avoid things getting out of hand. There are no more racial and religious issues to blame as the Covid-19 transcends all these barriers.

Whether we like it or not,we have to brace for the next 3 weeks of uncertain challenges. It will take more than 3 weeks but at least we must the see the signs of victory. It is encouraging to read about the many generous individuals and corporations coming forward to contribute whatever they can to release the burden of the poor who need all the assistance. Let us chip in our own contributions to these efforts to help fellow Malaysians.

Another 3 weeks is a long time to weather with the Covid-19 infection looming over us and threatening the peace and tranquillity of our home and the country. As our frontline heroes are kept busy fighting the invisible enemy, let us make our lives better at home and catch up on the loss of precious moments before the Covid-19 catastrophe.

Let’s stay at home, keep clean and don’t forget to keep a distance from one another.