PHOTO – World Bank Malaysia

BY: SURESH NATHAN

Last year and until now Malaysians have been at battle stations to combat Covid-19 and it looks now that this menace is set to stay and be part and parcel of our lives. Let’s be realistic. The coronavirus is not going to go away for good and this is something everyone has to accept.

Given this scenario it is important to be positive although the reality on the ground is there will most probably be more infected people and more deaths in the future but it is important, very important that we don’t throw in the towel and give up the fight.

Covid-19 has knocked most of us off our comfortable perch and now we Malaysians are being asked for our effort to get vaccinated, wear masks, frequently wash hands, maintain a social distance and to comply with Standard Operating Procedures.

In the time between last year until now so much has changed and our lives are no longer the same. There are many restrictions, rules and regulations and it looks as if our freedom has been severely curtailed and we are being monitored.

Perhaps there is no need to go into a debate or discussion of whether all this is good or bad but what is important to comprehend is that to restore live back to normal all of us Malaysians have to come together in a Herculean effort to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control in this country.

This is the crux of the matter. Covid-19 is not going to go away like a bad dream and this is why it is necessary for Malaysians to have a capable and competent government to steer us through this crisis.

Malaysians have to engage the government in every way possible. They should offer dissent, they should be vocal and critical, they should complain and they should provide feedback and information for the government to work on.

Not only this. Malaysians must make sure the government is listening and acting on all our grouses and grievances and the government must be willing to help all the people in this country including migrants.

Whatever our political affiliations might be, whatever our race or religion it should not matter as the government should serve us and if they fail to do so it is vital to take the all important step of changing the government of the day.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher