We are heading into the unknown in this pandemic. Let's just stay calm and compassionate. Stay patient and help others in dire financial need if able. Be grateful for all that you have.
What Social Distancing? @ Patrick Ho, 2021
When the first Movement Control Order (MCO) was announced (Mar 18-21,2020), the first thing most Malaysians worried about was food.
"How are we going to buy food ah?", "The markets opened or not leh?" were questions that were seen in comments on social media.
Most of us were not even clear how many from the same house could travel in a car.
There were SOP's and there were changes made to the SOP's.
Hence the new "abnormal" (I hate it when they term it 'the new normal'. What's normal about disruption?).
Thankfully, the "new" government allowed marketing and tarpao (takeaway) at wet markets, supermarkets and restaurants.
Obviously, Grabfood and Food Panda made handsome profits, not too mention giving job opportunities for many that were laid off by their employers.
There were SOP's enforced to curb the spread and ensure social distancing for public places (No, a lot of people still do not stay 1.5m away from each other!).
This made me wonder, "Can Malaysians learn to queue up. Ever?"
THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.
I am still puzzled by the need for temperature units at storefronts and restaurants.
If someone has a high fever, who stops them from entering the premises?
It is the month of May, 2021 now and I have realised that we humans can become ignorant fools in many aspects during a pandemic.
There were even the minority that believed that the virus spread only among certain races.
Likely, this irrational perception stems from fear.
Who can blame them?
Some friends even became "doctors", offering their take and forwarding fake news on how to avoid being infected (face palm!)
Are you kidding me?
Have people lost it due to the stress of a bad economy and not being able to pay their bills?
It is a struggle mentally when one cannot even make ends meet.
Even before MCO 3.0 started, a few of the operators of stalls and mamak restaurants shared their predicament with me.
The kind aunty who sells vegetarian food at Restoran Sepetang in my Taman Desa neighbourhood used to be so bubbly every time I visited.
But after this year's Chinese New Year, business for her, and most of us, began to dip.
"Everyday I cannot sell off all the food. If this goes on, I am finished," she told me in Hokkien. "I might as well close shop."
That sweet smile that always greeted me has been wiped off by worry.
I tried to make her feel better by telling her that at least she has a business because most of us have not even sold many products, let alone received any corporate enquiries since CNY.
It was a similar scenario for a half-shop mamak restaurant called Restoran ABM Maju.
"Boss, if everyday this bad business continues, it will be best for us to close shop. Weekends are the worse. people don't have money to buy food anymore. It also doesn't help when the landlord says he might increase the rent," said Gopi, the manager who hails from South India.
Today is the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and I would like to wish all my Muslim brothers Selamat Hari Raya. May you and your family celebrate safely at home.
I do feel sad that there were some friends who invited me for Raya open house.
With the drastic rise of infections, I humbly decline.
Furthermore, open houses have been disallowed under MCO 3.0 by the authorities.
What was disappointing, and foolish, were the thousands that tried to balik kampong.
Some tried going off road through rat lanes, while a lady was caught hiding in the boot of an e-hailing car.
I feel for them as many have not seen their family for months and the yearly balik kampong is a ritual during Raya.
On the business front, many are on the verge of shutting down.
"My company has put in at least seven tenders since 2020. We've only won two. Next year is going to be bad," a friend in the civil engineering business told.
"From a millionaire, I can honestly tell you that I will be reduced to a hundred thousand-aire in 2022," lamented another who is in the construction industry.
"Collection is nil. I don't know how we can carry on in 2022 if this goes on," said a lawyer friend.
"Clients that owe me money have shut down. What can I do?" explained many in various industries.
So, is there a solution to all our problems?
Not right now.
Not when there are so many uncertainties and confusing SOP's meted out by those in power.
The main thing is for us to stay safe and stay sane. STAY AT HOME.
And to those who continuously share fake news via Whatsapp, please stop. You ain't helping the world in any way.
LESSON: PRAY, HOPE AND BELIEVE THAT EVEN ALL THIS SHALL PASS.
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