KUALA LUMPUR: Expatriates living in Malaysia are full of praise for their second home for reassuring them of their safety amid a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Itziar Abuin, 36, who works as a public relations professional here, said Malaysia did well in managing the recent rise in Covid-19 cases.
"No country is completely free from the pandemic, but Malaysia remains undeterred to make the country as safe as possible for its people," she said.
In fact, Itziar feels her home country, Spain, could certainly take a page from Malaysia's efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Spain should consider using contact-tracing apps like MySejahtera which proved to be very effective for contact tracing in Malaysia. "It has made Malaysia one of the safest places to be right now," she said.
Itziar said living under new norms was challenging at first, but like most Malaysians, she had eventually learnt to embrace them.
"Social life is not the same as before with physical distancing and everyone wearing face masks. It is not easy to adapt to the new norms but we are getting used to it.
"In fact, many of my friends are now more comfortable about working from home as they feel it is more productive," she said.
Fortunately for Itziar, Malaysia's natural wonders offer a good compensation for the international vacations that she had to miss due to the pandemic.
"Malaysia is a great country to live in as we endure the pandemic and I'm glad to call it my second home," she said.
Dr Mehdi Soltanzadeh, 40, an expatriate from Iran, hailed Malaysia's Movement Control Order as a "success story" that other countries should emulate. "It is amazing that the Malaysian government could win the trust of the citizens and implement the MCO so successfully."
Dr Mehdi attributed this success to the mutual trust and understanding between the Malaysian government and its citizens, or what he calls "social capital".
"The social capital between the people and government in Malaysia is very strong, because the government is transparent about the facts.
"How many countries have health officials delivering daily updates about the Covid-19 cases to the public?
"Even shopping malls in Malaysia caution the public whenever their patrons are tested positive for Covid-19.
"I certainly feel safer in Malaysia, more than I would have been in the US or any other Western countries at the moment," he said.
Likewise, Joyce Ma Qiaoxin, an international postgraduate student from China, feels that Malaysia has done well to safeguard its people from the pandemic threat. The 24-year-old flew from China to Malaysia amid the pandemic in February to continue pursuing her Master of Management at Universiti Malaya.
"My family supported my decision to come here because they felt it was safe for me to live and study in Malaysia," she said. Ma said she was lucky to be in Malaysia, and not anywhere else, when the pandemic grew worse in March.
"Previously, I worked as a human resources assistant for a company in Indonesia." Ma has decided to remain in Malaysia to complete her thesis although most of her friends have returned to China last month.
"Of course, I miss my family too but it is more convenient to complete my thesis here because it is easier for me to consult my supervisor.
"After all, Malaysia is safer than many other places," she said.
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