This article first appeared in Capital, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on March 30, 2020 - April 5, 2020

A curfew was the furthest thing from my mind. I grew up hearing about it from older adults or in the movies. Of course, there was the occasional threat of one being imposed each time mass protests broke out in Kuala Lumpur. But more often than not, it was an effective suppressor of any complaint of boredom. “You’re very lucky, lah! Not like during  World War II or the May 13 (1969) riots, when we could not go here and there because of the curfew.”

I was happy for it to stay that way. Unfortunately, Covid-19 had other plans. Because of the rising number of cases here and globally, the government imposed a partial lockdown under the Movement Control Order (MCO) for two weeks on March 18, which has since been extended to April 14.

The problem is, we have forgotten how stubborn people can be. On the first day of the MCO, a video of street vendors, uncles and aunties going about their usual morning activities at a local market went viral. I thought to myself, “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” Well, at least not until the video showed police arriving at the scene.

My mother, who is in her eighties, insists I go to the office during the MCO period. If you ask her, there is no such thing as working from home. “That’s just plain lazy,” she insists. This is the same person who had experienced a curfew before.

On the second day, I bumped into an elderly couple outside the post office. We were barred from entering as we did not have masks on. It was a new ruling, even though the health authorities had been saying that only those who were sick should wear masks. Still, there is a place and time to stand up for one’s principles. This was not it.

So, there we were, waiting for the postal officer to bring our PosLaju parcels out. The auntie was in an especially chatty mood, telling me she did not like wearing a mask because it was uncomfortable and made breathing difficult. She went on to explain how ineffective masks were. Noting that she and her husband were in the high-risk group, I suggested they collect their parcel after the MCO was lifted. But she was a very determined lady.

“We are okay. The hot weather out here in the open will kill all viruses. (Moreover) my daughter is a doctor.” Now, I can’t beat that. They then found out that the husband had brought the wrong slip for collection. I guess they will be returning to the post office.

Admittedly, for extroverts, staying indoors every day is tough unless you have your own swimming pool, like the Sabah politician who urged his fellow Malaysians to stay at home — as he relaxed in the pool. Those living alone for a prolonged period, meanwhile, may face withdrawal symptoms. On the other hand, if you come from a big family, you are likely to drive each other up the wall. It is a relief that my husband works in an essential industry and is thus required to work at the office. And if you thought cooking at home would help you save money, think again. That’s because if you have teenagers, food will disappear faster than you can replenish it.

A prolonged MCO would be bad for everyone. Businesses could go bust, leading to job losses. A continued rise in Covid-19 cases would also put a massive strain on our healthcare system. So it is time to talk some sense into that stubborn young person or older relative and force them to sit at home until the MCO ends. If it is any help, supply them with a good dose of American or South Korean zombie movies.

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