TODAY, the social media or any media in general really was inundated with digs at the government for their CNY SOP boo boo.
Nevertheless, I feel tickled to share about what I think of it all. Not about the content of the SOP or the context as to how it has been chastised or ridiculed but more about the reality and maturity of some of us.
To date I have hoped to believe that after a long arduous year facing and living with this dreaded virus, from MCO 1.0 to recovery (RMCO) to MCO 2.0, one SOP after another.
Be it MCO SOP, CNY SOP and admit it, we all have our own SOP (quirky some) in our car, at home, at work etc but the essence of any Covid-19 SOP is really all but the same – Tᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Cᴏᴠɪᴅ-19 ɪɴғᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ғʟᴀᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜs ᴀʟʟ sᴀғᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴀs ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴀs ᴡᴇ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟʏ ᴄᴀɴ.
So in this Covid-19 pandemic, assuming that we are responsible beings, it is the reality that anything that we do or plan to do but as long as it involves another human being, an SOP according to the situation, place and exposure risk will be put in place whether it is the law, a policy or it may even be self-imposed and involuntary – because deep down we sure do not want to be infected with Covid-19.
CNY maybe all about family reunion, filial piety and a celebration of blessings and thanksgiving. While many of us are chagrin about not making that trip across state or over to the next street, I know for a fact that I would be fretting all night constantly watching if they are actually using the serving spoons and if they are spitting into the food when they speak. And ohhhh, don’t get me started on insisting to take their temperature as they step into our house and getting a lowdown on their MySejahtera check-ins history!!
Filial piety is served not through that once a year reunion dinner but it is much more and beyond that. It is about thinking and doing things out of the best interest for our family, for our loved ones, for our elderly and most of all keeping them safe.
Many of us may joke about having reunion dinner in the pasar malam, hand on heart, how many of you would stoop that far to think that this is a sensible thing to do with our loved ones?
For me and for my family, we have opted to keep safe and to usher Chinese New Year in the new norm and yes perhaps CNY 2021 is best celebrated next year with blessings of having survived the pandemic with zero casualties.
Sabah Wanita MCA chief Dr Pamela Yong