Siri 55a: AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
Wednesday, 18 March 2020 began as a grey day in Kuala Lumpur. Marking a grey time, the Movement Control Order (MCO). North and south bounds traffic were stopped from advancing into the city. Police troops were deliberately positioned in various locations curbing vehicles movement.
From Petronas Twin Towers, the street was extraordinarily quiet. Most restaurants and shops were closed. Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman was abnormally chaotic. Some hawkers refused to obey the MCO. Enforcement personnel ordered all to close.
Fast forward a month, customers at a hypermarket wait in long lines to enter obliging the social distance. Shoppers grudgingly scrawled their identification and phone details. Buying grocery was an ordeal.
At home, on a mid-afternoon Baba lay tranquilly on a couch with soothing instrumental orchestra ‘On a Clear Day’ by Lament and Lane. To conquer anxiety, he engrossed in the ‘Long Walk to Freedom’, an autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
Separated the bouquet into individual stems, arranged and placed the flowers in a glass vase, Mama bent the wired stems a bit so they would stand more like real flowers. As a homemaker, life went on as usual amidst the calamity.
When the home bell rang, Hana walked to the door for a parcel left by delivery. She cleaned it using disinfecting wipes. Beautiful mustard cardigan from ‘Calacara’ undoubtedly made her day.
It was hard to determine a proposition between an equity exposure largely from USA, or a combination of China, Korea, and Taiwan. Leveraged from present market expertise, the coming earnings season could bring lofty stock down to earth. Huda deliberated and produced a high impact presentation to an important client.
Thought of it as a set of tools to be explored rather than followed, motivated Haikal to succeed in Calculus. He tirelessly practised for his online Calculus examination.
It was a frightening time. It was vital to stay calm and braced for what may come. Whether you were Baba or Mama, Hana or Huda, Haikal or others, it was with you night and day; a terrible unrelenting uncertainty about the future.
May the Almighty bless and protect us all.
Hatarmizi Hassan
KanWork Supporter/Volunteer
11 July 2020
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