Being a Malaysian Chinese living in an Asian country, my heart weeps for the Asian American community that is facing a rising tide of hate crimes in the United States of America.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

By Michael Tay, Johor MCA Government Coordinating Affairs chairman.

Asians worldwide mourn the deaths of the 556,036 people who have died from the coronavirus in the US, a nation hardest hit by Covid-19. We do not see them as Blacks, Whites or Yellows nor were they mere statistics.  They’re someone’s child, someone’s spouse, brother, sister or parent.

I can understand the pain and grief felt by those who have lost their loved ones, and my heart bleeds for them but the bashing of Asians currently taking place in the US is  beyond my comprehension.

News reports revealed some 41 million citizens have been fully vaccinated while 75 million have been given one dose of the vaccine (as of time of writing).  Soon, the US population will achieve herd immunity through vaccination, and normalcy is expected to return. The economy will boom again, and people will find employment.

So, I don’t understand the flare-up of the anti-Asian stigma which has resulted in violence and deaths of innocent victims. This is striking fear and terror in everyone’s hearts, even someone who is living some 15,000km from the US.

Imagine the emotional turmoil of Asians who are currently in the US.

When an African-American man, Mr George Floyd died on May 25, Asians were sympathetic and had come together to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Floyd’s death sparked reactions across Asia. Even though one of policemen who were at the scene of the killing was Asian American, this should not be a reason to attack the Asian American community.

America used to be a beacon of democracy, a beacon of light for the rest of the world.

I had studied and worked in the US, spent about 8 years of my life in ? near New York.  I have immense respect for Caucasians, Blacks, the Latinos, and most of the Americans I’ve met there.  They made me feel at home.

You can read my previous blog posts about my thoughts about the US and I care about the country and its citizens.

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The US today, is not the US that I used to know.  All the bigotry and hate crimes against Asians has got to stop.  If Asians in the US are facing discrimination and living in insecurity and fear of getting beaten up or even losing their lives from day to day, then I hope they will consider coming to Malaysia.  Invest in Malaysia, build a new life in Malaysia.

In Asian countries, such as Malaysia, we do not bash up people because of their race. No matter what is your race, you can walk on our street and feel safe.

Asian students who are currently studying in the US should consider coming to Malaysia and continuing their studies here, as there are international universities in Malaysia. Those who feel threatened should turn to their respective embassies for assistance.

All this hatred and blame is not going to bring back the 556,036 people who have died.  Please stop the hate. Respect President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris who are strongly condemning the attacks on Asian Americans, and exercise some self-restraint.  I’m happy to read this news

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Asians are not to be blamed for the pandemic.  Once the US has achieved herd immunity from vaccination, things will go back to normal.

Meanwhile, the US government should set up the mechanism and infrastructure to protect the Asian American community there.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in Your Say are those of the contributor, not the blog owner.

“Mass innoculation will enable life to return to normalcy where we can come out and mingle with one another without any fear of getting infected with the coronavirus.”

By Michael Tay, Johor MCA Government Coordinating Affairs chairman.

I’ve seen far too many “To Let/For Sale” signs on gates and roller shutter doors of shops and houses in Johor, Malaysia, lately.

People are selling their houses due to cash flow difficulties and many have depleted their savings since the pandemic. Some have not eaten for 2  to 3 days, and the number of homeless people in Johor is increasing.

All this negativity is indeed depressing, which is why I would like to urge the government to roll out the coronavirus vaccination programme and get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible.

Herd immunity is the answer to reviving Johor as well as Malaysia’s ailing economy which has been badly hit by the Movement Control Order 2.0   To achieve herd immunity, about 23 million or 70% of the Malaysian population needs be vaccinated.

It has been reported that retail businesses nationwide has dipped about 90% during the first week of  MCO 2.0 as the apparel segment had to cease operation.

Consumer confidence has been affected by the pandemic and job uncertainty, prompting many to stay at home and be more prudent with their spending.

I would like an update on the negotiation with the Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, the manufacturer of CoronaVac. Why is the vaccine not here yet, when neighbouring countries Indonesia and Singapore have already launched their immunisation programmes?

Indonesia recently rolled out its mass free Covid-19 vaccination programme with its President, Mr Joko Widodo affectionately known as Jokowi, being the first person in the country to receive the first jab of the CoronaVac.  Indonesia targeted those age 18 to 59 to receive the vaccine shots in the maiden phase of its immunisation programme.

Singapore received its first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 in December 2020.  However, there were reservations among Singaporeans toward taking the vaccines.

I can’t wait for my turn to get vaccinated.  However, I would prefer to receive the vaccine which only require one dose instead of the Moderna, or Pfizer/BioNTech and other vaccines that need two shots — a priming dose followed by a booster shot.  But that is, if I were given the choice.  If there’s really no option then I would take any vaccine that comes my way.

But I would suggest that we start assembling our frontliners and volunteers now for deployment to all vaccine distribution and administration centres.  The people who will be administering the jabs must be well prepared for the large number expected to throng public hospitals in urban, suburban and rural areas once the immunisation programme is rolled out.

The Prime Minister’s Message To The Rakyat

Last month, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin did say that over 80% of Malaysia’s population (close to 27 million people) are expected to be vaccinated by the 1^st quarter of 2021.

Malaysia is going to be the first country outside China to carry out the clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate made by the Institute of Medical Biology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China which will involve 3,000 volunteers.

You can read more about Malaysia’s immunisation plan in the link below.

https://www.pmo.gov.my/2021/01/3000-volunteers-in-phase-3-clinical-trial-for-covid-19-vaccine-pm-muhyiddin/

My Advice: Consult A Doctor Before Getting A Vaccination

I would like to advise those who have diabetes, hypertension or any other comorbidities to consult a family doctor or any qualified physician prior to getting the vaccination.

Malaysia reportedly has one of the highest number of diabetic patients in Asia, with approximately 3.9 million people over the age of 18 which is 1 in 5 adults with this disease.

For those who do not have underlying health issues, I would urge them not to hesitate in getting themselves vaccinated as only when there is herd immunity can there be hope for life to return to normalcy.  We will then be able to come out and mingle with one another no longer fearful of getting infected with the coronavirus, like the good old days where retail outlets, hotels, fitness centres and eateries were abuzz with activities.

Pre-Covid Days!

Disclaimer: The views expressed in Your Say are those of the contributor, not the blog owner.