Tomorrow Monday 4 May 2020 sees the relaxation of some restrictions imposed under the Movement Control Order. Many people have expressed their concern that such a move would cause a possible 3rd wave of Covid-19 infections. Among the words used to describe the government's decision include 'premature', 'risky', 'drastic', 'worrying' plus a few other unflattering terms. The recurrence of the pandemic at Hokkaido, Japan has been quoted as an example.
Such concerns and criticisms are understandable. 'We have held on for so long.... why can't we see it through for a few more days? The virus is not totally eradicated yet. Why sacrifice the hard work of all frontliners just for the sake of the economy?'
In this particular situation, I agree with the Prime Minister and his team. I am sure the government has made careful discussion and deliberation before arriving at the decision. I believe it was made upon consideration of the need to balance risk and necessity with due thought towards the capability of our healthcare system. Discounting the earlier blunders made by certain ministers and government departments, I support this move.
Not all of us have sufficient savings, stable jobs, or comfortable homes with internet connectivity. As I've read in a Facebook posting somewhere, we are not all in the same boat. Each of us face this crisis under different circumstances. There are many amongst us whose savings have dried up, live in cramped low-cost housing, and depend on welfare food handouts for their daily meals. The easing of restrictions may provide opportunities to some of these people to eke out a living or, at the very least, allow a few hours of respite outside their homes.
It is not like a free-for-all situation come this Monday. The Ministry of Health still imposes strict guidelines on how businesses are allowed to operate (the so-called SOP). A full lockdown can be imposed on selected locations should there be a breach of the rules. Therefore it becomes imperative that we, as responsible citizens, play our part to follow the government's directives. Of course, there would be doubters who say that not everybody would comply; just look at the number of MCO offences that have been committed so far. The only response I can offer is, as long as we call ourselves human beings, there would always be someone who has a mind of his own. I put my trust with the authorities to deal with such idiots.
Having said that, my only gripe with the relaxed MCO is still the closure of mosques and suraus. While the objective may be to prevent a large group of people from congregating, a partial (or sectional) opening of mosques should be made available. Most mosques in Malaysia have external corridors or verandahs, apart from the main prayer hall. These sections are enough to allow the occasional traveler, food-delivery guy, or policeman manning a roadblock to perform his prayer in peace and perhaps rest for a while. And he may use the moment to recite a du'a or two, asking the Almighty for assistance and guidance in this trying period. As it is now, we see photos of runners and cops praying by the roadside being posted on social media. Mosques in Singapore had made this facility available since the very start of their lockdown. They even marked out the prayer spaces on the floor so that no jemaah would stand close to one another. I fail to understand why we have not done the same.
I would even venture to suggest that the occasional 'solat berjemaah' be allowed, as long as the number of persons is small and appropriate spacing is practiced. An example of such a situation is when I stop at a mosque to pray and at the same time, there is another traveler with the same intention.
If the Prime Minister can allow Pak Salleh to open his restaurant provided the seating arrangement comply with the SOP, why can't he allow Pak Imam to open his mosque too?
In this month of Ramadhan, I am drawn towards a verse in the holy Al-Qur'an :
"And when My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way."
(Al- Baqarah, verse 186)
3 comments:
Like all the virus before the Convid 19 we must learn to live with it or else we would be doomed. There is still no Vaccine for HIV and a few other diseases but we have adept to the situation well and learned to live by been smarter like avoiding it and and continue to adept a hygienic and cleanness culture. In the meantime life must go on by phase. I believe the authority had thought about in before allowing the industries and other business to open under a control regime. Remember the MCO is still on and may be extended. In the mean time everyone of us must take the MCO seriously which means we must adept to the New Normal culture. Sir My two cents.
.... Watch this as well.. https://youtu.be/Fou-DxSjaAw
Thank you Pak Idrus for sharing the video. Diseases and plagues have been affecting humanity for a very long time. At each new outbreak, humans learn to cope and address the disease based on lessons learned from previous incidents plus new research. A balanced and sensible approach is then implemented. As responsible citizens, each of us has to play our role. There is not much to be gained by adopting a pessimistic and defeatist attitude, like many of our fellow Malaysians when the PM made his announcement. May Allah swt protect your and your family, sir.
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