MALAYSIA is still in a political crisis but the greater danger today is the Covid-19 pandemic. 

To the extent that political outrage over the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government collapse is now reduced to online activity, as gatherings are potentially harmful to those attending them.

There is a second wave now that has seen numbers jumping higher in tandem with other countries around the world even as virus’ origin, China, has declared that the peak is over.

In Malaysia and the rest of the world, it isn’t. More than that, stocks are running low for personal protective equipment (PPE) used by doctors, nurses and other medical personnel fighting the pandemic in Malaysia.

Malaysians can do a few things to alleviate this situation and ensure the local health system can cope with those infected by the coronavirus that has spread around the globe, killing nearly 5,000 now.

Social distancing is one of it, from staying at home and away from all crowded areas, particularly when feeling unwell to repeated hand washing. If it comes down to not attending mass prayers and places of worship, so be it.

And of course, trying hard not to touch one’s mouth, eyes and nose. Basically, the face.

The downside is of course going to affect the economy, already reeling from the earlier China industrial shutdown, global oil price war and the politicking that led to a government change on March 1.

Oil revenues will be down, tourism receipts will be down, retail will be down and even the food and beverage sector will be hit all due to the precautions taken to check the virus spread. Jobs might disappear for a while.

It will be the job of the new government to sort this out. We have a new prime minister and a new cabinet that most of us do not trust due to the way they came to power. That is a battle for another day, not when people’s health is at stake.

But what we also have is the same civil service, including police, armed forces and medical personnel that has kept us safe and minimised the virus spread through the country.

We need to help them keep it that way.

Let’s do our part. – March 13, 2020.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.