The month of August is significant for all Malaysians. In this month lies an important date: the 31st of August where all Malaysians commemorate the Independence Day of Malaysia. This year, Malaysia has enjoyed 64 years of independence since 1957.
During these 64 years, Malaysia is free from colonialism where it has its own government to run the country. Many forms of development and success have been achieved throughout this over half-century. However, as an independent country, it does not mean there are no obstacles and challenges for us. More challenges will keep coming in the future to test our ability to handle crises.
Indeed, one such prevailing major crisis faced by Malaysia is the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In fact, this disease does not only overwhelm Malaysia, but also the rest of the world. This virus is proven to be deadly as it has infected more than one million people and caused more than 10 thousand deaths in Malaysia alone.
Although the pandemic is not literally a colonisation, its severity has robbed us of our freedom similar to that of the military occupation experienced by our ancestors. The pandemic has led to the enforcement of the movement control order in which our daily movement is strictly restricted.
During the pandemic, we are often reminded of the freedom that we used to embrace in daily life. Before the pandemic, we were free to move around doing our daily activities. We were able to have face-to-face social interaction such as meeting up with friends, going back to our hometown to have big reunions with family members, and visiting neighbours.
In religious activities, we were able to perform congregational prayers and attend religious talks at the mosque. In education, teachers and students have missed attending school where face-to-face learning takes place. For employees who have gradually adjusted to working from the home condition, they too have missed the workplace environment where there are in-person discussions among co-workers to complete daily tasks.
Besides that, the effects of COVID-19 have also extended to many aspects of life. It paralyses the majority of economic activities and threatens the smooth administration of the country. During the movement restriction period, many people suffer from difficulties as well as face terrible losses. Many have lost their lives and some their loved ones as well. Nearly one hundred thousand people have lost their jobs because their company can no longer operate as usual. All of these lead to the degradation of mental health in general and cause life to be stressful.
In short, we long for our previous normal life. It is the freedom that we always want back since it has been nearly two years since it is taken away from us. However, sitting still and doing nothing will not bring back the freedom that we used to have.
In conjunction with this national month, we need to recall the struggle that our ancestors had to face to grasp independence from colonialism. The independence of our homeland that we enjoy today was the result of the blood, sweat, and tears of the people before us. They were able to achieve it because of their careful planning, systematic execution, persistent effort, and strong unity.
Similarly, the eradication of COVID-19 requires the same solidarity and persistent effort from every citizen of Malaysia. The strategy has been explicitly conveyed to all of us. The main strategy is to follow the current standard operating procedure (SOP) to combat COVID-19. The SOP includes: (1) practicing physical distancing, (2) avoiding gatherings at places that cause crowding, and (3) properly wearing masks, especially in the public area. Lastly, those who are eligible must get themselves vaccinated as scheduled. We hope to achieve herd immunity soon to give protection from the virus to the whole population.
While waiting for herd immunity to be achieved and return to normal life, many people will have to continue to face a hard time, especially in terms of financial stability. Therefore, in conjunction with the theme of Malaysia’s Independence Day for 2021, “Malaysia Prihatin”, each Malaysian should express support and concern for one another.
It is the time when the poor and unfortunate are supported by the rich. It is the time when collected charities are delivered to them so that they can temporarily feed their family while finding the best way to gain stable finance. At the same time, keeping in touch with relatives, friends, and neighbours is also important to maintain moral and emotional support. Expressing sympathy and empathy is crucial during this time to prove that we are concerned about one another.
Indeed, the journey to achieve freedom from COVID-19 is a long and difficult one. A lot of sacrifices are required from all of us. However, with continuous effort, we will be able to gain this freedom as our ancestors enjoyed when they successfully gained independence from colonialism.