On Wed 13th January 2021, Malaysia will enter into yet another lock-down as the escalating case numbers of Covid-19 cases are getting out of control. This is in spite of the fact that in the middle of last year (2020), we were one of those countries praised for the excellent handling of the Covid-19 situation; all it took was a by-election and everything has gone south ever since.
Yet Movement Control Order 2.0 may just be the last straw that broke the camel's back, as the country's economy which hadn't recovered since the first lock-down despite the relaxation of the lock-down several months later might not be able to take the brunt of another lock-down. The signs are obvious, especially small businesses that had shuttered their doors due to the pandemic.
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| An empty Petaling Street on a Sunday... Wonder how many customers did the old uncle selling Ban Chang kueh (peanut pancake) gets each day? |
If you take a walk in Kuala Lumpur's inner city areas like Petaling Street, you can definitely see the effects of the previous lock-down on small businesses. No longer bustling with people and with only a few stalls still open for business, Chinatown is now a ghost of its former self and actually looks more like a ghost town! Even on weekends, you could stand in the middle of Petaling Street, stretch your arms out and spin around without hitting anyone. The photo above was taken on a Sunday, just days before the second lock-down, and you can see how empty Petaling Street is.
Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but I truly hope that after this Covid-19 pandemic is over, the old uncle selling the peanut pancake will still be there.... hopefully!
