I haven’t gone to the temple in SS3 since March 17, the Tuesday before the Movement Control Order (MCO) took effect in Malaysia. That’s 10 visits that didn’t happen in over 2 months. That’s 10 times I didn’t buy flowers from the florists stationed just outside the temple. 

The two flower stall holders are not SMEs. They are micro, micro SMEs. Their income comes from temple goers like me. I usually buy a small garland, braided jasmine, an assortment of loose flowers for under RM10 plus a tip. How are they surviving? They are not the only ones. An elderly lady used to sell vegetarian ‘nasi lemak’ and bird seeds for the resident pigeons. A young man in a wheelchair used to hawk bottled water at RM1 each. With the temple closed, how are they supporting themselves? The temple is also losing revenue, typically earned from services for daily prayers and special occasions, and from its onsite wedding venue. Two of my friends, who run a hair salon, are out of work. Both have families to look after. They are entrepreneurs I know personally for the last 20 years. All real people trying to make an honest living so that they can have a roof over their heads and food on the table.  

Food truckers, market stall operators, corner shops, photo studios and money changers are all suffering. There are many more in similar dire or worst situations. Bigger companies, have their share of pressing problems. To help people and companies face the many financial hardships, the Government introduced stimulus packages since February. To generate income, save jobs and businesses, and restore the economy, the Government also announced a Conditional MCO that allowed many economic sectors to start operations on May 4. Conditional upon meeting and adhering to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

But, what about the omnipresent threat of Covid-19? What about people’s health and life? What about their livelihood? It’s a tough call. To-date, Malaysia has 7,819 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 115 deaths. Every death is one death too many. We have families, and extended families. We have several roles, relationships and responsibilities. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunty, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, friend, employee, employer, a member of the community and citizen. Son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, great grandfather, son-in-law, brother-in-law, friend, employee, employer, a member of the community and citizen. Each of us matter. We all matter.

It’s a tough balancing act. Health vs economic health. Difficult as it is a balance must be achieved. How? By listening to the advice by the authorities – the Director General of Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysian National Security Council (MKN) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). They make sense.  And, remembering and doing our best to adhere to the advice. It’s onerous. But, it has to be done. Me, like everyone else on planet earth, wants life to go back to what it was. It doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon. There are candidates for vaccines. There are clinical trials. There might even be optimistic manufacturing of possible candidate vaccines. But, there is no clear winner vaccine yet.

Until then … I tell myself that I have to stay at home as much as possible. Physical distance. No social gathering with family or friends. No meet ups for entertainment or sports. Wash my hands fastidiously (this is painful as my poor hands are flaky and dry). Shop when necessary. Less contact with people means less exposure to the potential virus threat. Not easy I know. But I do it because I am aware of what’s at stake. Careless behaviour on my part may impact me, my husband, my aged mother, the community of people that I share my condo building with and the country. I must do what’s right for my family and the common good, and not what I prefer or want to do. That is a post for another day.

Similarly, if companies continue to seriously heed SOPs, and ensure employees strictly follow SOPs and remain Covid-19 negative, there will be fewer disruptions to work flow and/or no closure of businesses. Consumer fear may subside and confidence may return. People may start spending and investing. More earnings could roll in. Businesses may become profitable sooner than later.

This scenario is achievable if we, yes we, not – I, me and myself – but the collective WE – the public, adhere to SOPs and genuinely work together to bring down the number of new cases to nil or at worst, single digits. WE might just return to some semblance of normalcy. Malaysia Boleh!