LETTERS: The year 2020 is drawing to a close. I am sure many Malaysians would want to put this annus horribilis behind them. The Covid-19 pandemic and the attendant economic tailspin are two major flashpoints that colour and dominate this year.
With the benefit of hindsight, as a 77-year-old man, I must say that we have done fairly well weathering the crises.
Why do I say so? Let us take Covid-19. In developed countries like the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), the pandemic has raged with deadly ferocity. In the US, some 16 million Covid-19 cases have been reported as the death toll is set to cross the 300,000-mark.
Malaysia, meanwhile, despite having inferior healthcare standards, has done relatively well to stem the spread of the pandemic. Before the Sabah elections, our daily new cases were below 100.
Even now, although the daily new cases are hovering between 1,000 and 2,000, many of them are linked to foreign workers. In other words, sporadic community infection has been somewhat curbed.
Clusters from prisons and living quarters of foreign workers continue to contribute to the bulk of the new cases. It is easy to get carried away by the four-digit numbers of daily new Covid-19 cases that jump out of our screens, without dissecting the sources.
A closer inspection shows that our health officials have done well in containing the pandemic. Credit must be given to the government, especially Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, for providing a steadying hand during such trying times.
His commitment to getting more Covid-19 vaccines has brought much relief to the people. The vaccine is the key for us to return to pre-Covid-19 times.
The slew of economic intervention policies has provided a lifeline to businesses choked by the pandemic. The moratorium on loan repayment, in particular, had saved many businesses and jobs, as well as lives, which could have been lost due to the sense of hopelessness and despair brought about by the outbreak.
Recently, the Employees' Provident Fund launched the i-Sinar facility, which allows some eight million contributors to make withdrawals to tide them over during these trying times. Not only will the money come in handy, but increased liquidity can also kickstart the economy, which is badly in need of a stimulus.
All in all, the current administration has done fairly well, steering the country amid such turbulent times. It helps that most of the cabinet members are no greenhorns and are aided by an able and committed civil service. They are not perfect, but all things considered, they have done well.
This year will go down in history as the year we wish we could forget. But for me, I wish to remember it as the year we overcame the odds and that we can collectively thrive if we pool our resources.
MOHD SAUFI ABDUL RAZAK
Subang Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times