Today has been a mixed day, it feels long but passed by quick. Last night’s news was still sinking in, the announcement seems clear but obviously there were details that were unclear and unsettled.
As a senior management member of a Takaful Operator, we were also figuring out how best to make it work, to fulfill our obligation to continue providing critical services to our customers – the duties of an essential service provider.
I must admit it wasn’t an easy task as we had to balance the needs of the people, respecting the spirit of the “restricted movement order” as well as the safety of our staff. It‘s the first time we are facing a calamity of this magnitude and sensitivity, the true test whether our Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and crisis management procedures actually works.
It’s probably not going to go smoothly for the next few days, we can’t admit and say we have everything figured out. But we have tried our level best to put in the procedures to make the experience as pleasant as possible for everyone.
Should we have started planning and preparing earlier?
We should have, but we didn’t. No one knows what to expect. Right now, all we can do is try our best to try to make it right.
While it’s easiest to blame others for the situation we are in, including the unpreparedness of processes, imperfections of communication and sloppy execution, the noises that come out from our mouths (and fingers through postings on social media and other avenues) doesn’t change the situation especially when the actions that many of us have taken, contradict what is needed.
What are we, the humankind, most unprepared and unequipped for? Considering our reaction in less than 24 hours from the announcement and closer to the actual implementation of the restrictive movement order – it’s clear, as a society, we’re not ready for self-restraint.
We can’t control the world, we can’t control the government, we can’t control the opposition, we can’t control the keyboard warriors, we can’t control the irresponsible people out there.
What we can supposedly control – ourselves. Our choices, our actions.
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”
Al Baqarah 2 : 155 – 156
For the next 14 days, let’s choose to exercise restraint so that all of us can come out of this calamity quickly.
Today itself, I’ve met many people who will be going without pay for the next 2 weeks, people working at restaurants and shops, hoping that this will pass by soon.
We were informed of the first 2 deaths due to the virus in Malaysia and another 120 new cases registered making the total confirmed cases 673 at the moment. Do we need the number to be by the thousands before people will finally listen?
With Ramadhan just slightly more than a month from today, are we prepared to receive it without the tarawih prayers and bazaars? Are we ready to receive Syawal locked in our homes not celebrating it with family and friends?
If we don’t start practicing self-restraint and continue challenging “the test” given to us with our ignorance and stubbornness, we might just end up in that situation. When that happens, there is no one else to blame but ourselves.
So fellow Malaysians (and humankind for that matter) – trying my best to play my part as a responsible human being, I beg of you, put aside our differences and egos, don’t be stubborn and forgive, make that wise choice, listen and do what is needed from each one of us to make the world a safer place for everyone, the soonest.
The choice is ours. Choose wisely. Stay home.