Staying alive in the year the music died

The mere mention of 2020 brings different challenges and memories to different people, especially coupled with the pandemic. Much has been said about the virus and much more will be said as countries around the world give assurances that the newly developed vaccine would be given free to their residents.

Dubai, one of the wealthiest of the seven emirates that constitute the federation of the United Arab Emirates would be offering the Pfizer vaccine to their residents for free in addition to China’s Sinopharm shots. It was found to be 86% efficient against the novel coronavirus. Now, all they need to do is worry about the other 14%. Or wait and see of how it pans out and find out if the side effects are bearable.

Our country was no different as we had to deal with the first, second and eventually a third wave of COVID-19 numbers that increased daily. We were also straddled with political drama that started off on February 23 with speculations swirling about a potential crisis. Fast forward a week later, with much anticipation and bated breath, we got ourselves a new Prime Minister, after the collapse of the newly minted opposition government. Of course, it did not end there. There was a lot of bickering on both sides for the struggle to maintain power. One event led to the other and finally saw the proposed vote of no confidence towards Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Parliament on May 18, 2020, which did not go through. Meanwhile, there was continuous bitter infighting within the two-year-old Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

If indeed Parliament must remain the giant spittoon for all this diatribe, we might otherwise be spewing at each other, so be it. But having everyone in the country and the world witnessing such things as they happen may be more than the system can bear, especially when we had the pandemic to deal with.

It was a sad affair as we wanted things to change for the better, but more things stayed the same. To quote Leonard Cohen the Canadian singer/songwriter/poet/novelist would be on point, much of it has been “new skin for the old ceremony”.

For the academia, we have survived a year being online. And with the recent extension of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) for all districts in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah until Jan 14 2021, that would signal another online session for universities that have a January semester. Yes, we must do this for the safety of the students and academics that have to face them for classes.

Eventually we will need to be physically on campus with all the standard operating procedures (SOP) in place as these batch of students cannot go on online for the entire duration of study. They need to have the practical know how for modules of that nature. So, it is a catch 22 paradoxical situation that everybody will need to deal with, while being vigilant of the pandemic.

Much has changed. Perhaps it makes a difference between seeking the utopian dream of conflict resolution and settling for the Machiavellian advantages of conflict management for both academia and businesses that have suffered. Which hypothesis shall doubtless be tested again this year, as it was last year and has been every year since. 2020 will no doubt offer a particular novelty because of what we went through.

But the pertinent question is, “What have you lost and what have you gained in 2020?” Take some time to reflect on this. It would be different feelings for different people. If you had lost loved ones, family, or friends, that grief will stay with you for some time. But introspectively, what do you see?

Many say that they ‘found’ themselves after much reflection, life is more precious (was it not before this?) and family, when the movement control order (MCO) and CMCO and the restrictions of crossing borders was finally lifted, was the best time to be with the clan. Some took this opportunity to go on a much-needed vacation, although within the country. These times became more focused and if I may, more felt.

It would be so easy to lose hope based on the happenings of the past year. The mission for all of us this year is to persevere and stay alive even if we feel that the music has died. We will need to heal from 2020 in order to appreciate where we’re heading to. Because if you don’t heal, you’ll bleed on people that didn’t cut you. So, if you ask me “what was my greatest lost this year?” – nothing, whatever was meant for me remained, whatever was not meant for me, left.

Happy New Year everyone!