Your Say – Page 3 – Roam with Bee

Michael Tay having a chat with a retail assistant to find out more about the retail scene in Johor Bahru during CMCO

By Michael Tay, Johor MCA Government Coordinating Affairs chairman.

Encountering Covid-19 may have seemed like entering an air pocket, of sort, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride ahead, but I strongly believe Malaysia is more resilient than many other countries.

The turbulence may be uncomfortable but we will survive and a rebound will occur once the borders fully re-open.

The Johor state government reportedly suffered a revenue loss of over 20% following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and closure of the Malaysia-Singapore border where more than 200,000 locals commute daily to the republic for work.

After receiving an outpouring of complaints from those who ply the Causeway and the Second Link daily, I want to say that Malaysia needs to adopt a two-prong approach as she treads on the road to recovery. Both the government and the public must work together in synergy for a faster economic rebound.

The government must set up a task force comprising highly analytical thinkers that will be able to identify new niche markets and types of jobs where workers can be retrained to take on new roles. Those affected by the closure of the borders should not be disheartened.

For workers whose monthly income has been slashed or are about to face a pay cut, please try to downgrade your way of living. It’s not all gloom and doom. Women, too, should not put more pressure on their spouses who are sole breadwinners, as the husbands are doing all they can to provde the best for the family. Instead of grumbling or complaining about the current situation, wives should try to chip in and contribute to the household income.

Malaysians of both genders are known to be rather picky when it comes to finding employment. The pandemic has come to change our mindsets. As long as it is decent work, even if the salary is not what you’re used to getting, you should bear with it until the economic situation improves. I have friends who truly embrace the entrepreneurial spirit where they turn to different trades as a means of improvisation.

When one path is blocked, they look for another path.

We can get tour guides to organise tours to new tourist destinations like recreation or fruit farms, for instance. Singapore-based tour agents which are facing economic challenges should also start planning tours for its citizens to explore Malaysia, especially destinations in Sabah and Sarawak. Singapore is such a tiny island. A short getaway that is affordably-priced would prove to be a much sought-after respite. One just needs to be creative.

The government should promote domestic travels, set up more plantations, fisheries, poultry farms, vegetable farms. This would create jobs for Malaysians and food prices will also become cheaper as they are locally produced.

We seriously need to focus on domestic re-structuring now. We need community leaders who come up with strategies to revive the economy and help the people sustain a livelihood. If you manage your finances well, as long as you’re willing to work hard, survival is not an issue.

SMEs need to be taken care of, and we should welcome investments from China. We have our own culture, principles and practices. A model of our own.

Employees who have been laid off should not hesitate to reskill or upskill themselves. When the government come up with such programmes, go ahead and sign up. Just as long as you’re willing to take on new challenges, a new dawn awaits.

By Michael Tay, Johor MCA Government and Coordinating Affairs chairman.

I would like to thank China for sending a team of medical experts to Malaysia to help us fight the coronavirus pandemic.

I see a ray of hope as this team can shed light on how their patients were treated and hopefully, this will boost the recovery rate of our patients. This team could also share with us their experience and knowledge

This is crucial now, as all credible information should be given to the scientific community so that there can be a coronavirus model.

With Malaysia’s population standing at 32.6 million, the number of Covid-19 cases is not alarming as we observe social distancing and we are not densely populated.

I also have nothing but praises for Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, our Director-General of Health, who has been giving regular clear concise updates on the Covid-19. This neutralises fear and deters baseless speculations, as the public is kept well informed.

Many people want to go back to their normal lives but I know social gathering is definitely out of the question even after the MCO is lifted and until the scientific community comes up with a model.

For those who are struggling with mental stress can turn to Befrienders Johor Baru, for instance. The hotline number is 07 3312300.

I’ve been told that Befrienders’ hotline has been receiving an average of 40 calls per day since the Movement Control Order (MCO) started, double that of what the non-governmental organisation had been receiving before.

Sim Ah Moi, who is Befrienders Johor Baru’s acting president, said during the first phase of the MCO, the number of calls received was between 16 and 46, and during the second phase, 16 to 44.

Financial woes was the main concerns of those who had called the hotline.

Sim said employees were worried about getting their income, while employers were worried about generating the income and sustaining their businesses.

But Befrienders JB had challenges of their own too. The NGO which has 66 members is currently running the hotline 7 days a week with only 33 volunteers aged between 29 and 67, as some have opted to observe the MCO.

Volunteers are divided into four shifts with two volunteers per shift, so the organisation actually needed a total of eight volunteers daily. With the number of volunteers down by half, some of the volunteers had to work double shifts.

I applaud them for their tireless efforts and commitment to ease frayed nerves in such trying times.

Although Befrienders JB is not made up of professional counsellors and they can’t give any advice, at least you know there’s someone at the other end of the line who’s listening to you.

Sometimes it’s not easy to talk to family members, as you may not want them to worry. So, we have organisations like Befrienders JB to turn to.

For those facing financial worries can also call Johor Welfare Department or the Employees Provident Fund (KWSP) office for assistance.

I would also like to remind those with fever to go for Covid-19 testing immediately. Several days ago, someone said his father was feeling feverish. I told him to send his father for a medical check-up, and his father tested positive for Covid-19.

So, to sum things up. The government has provided all these avenues — a resilient structure is in place. Have faith that with sound political management and policies, Malaysia will bounce back after the crisis.There may be changes to the norm, such as having to embrace technology such as teleconferencing via Skype or Zoom — at least until the vaccine is unveiled — but we will emerge after the crisis just like before, and maybe even better!

Category: Your Say

Turbulence builds resilience

Medical infrastructure in place