By Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi

With the recent announcement by the Prime Minister of some relaxation on the Movement Control Order, the ball has now shifted to the people of Malaysia to make this work.

For my part, I give the PN government a resounding 'A' for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, some of my friends in the civil society will not agree with me but I stand by my evaluation.

Many know that I am a person who do not hold back my punches when it comes to criticizing issues that are deemed taboo like issues regarding the Malays, Islam, muftis, education and universities. My stand has earned me alienation from my own race, profession and religion.

Thus, when I say the PN government is performing very well in handling the pandemic, I am as critical as I have always been. My heart has no place for vengeance or vendetta even though I was appalled to the traitorous turn of events by the Sheraton Move.

But I am, at the end of the day, both an idealist tampered with pragmatism when crisis and situations demand. I call this fluid diplomacy with grounded and principled vision.

I discovered that many civil society members do not appreciate these aspects of political and pragmatic fluidity.

Back to the issue of supporting the PN government 100% on this new move, there seems to be some strange reluctance by the medical and business fraternities. Why? From the medical aspect, I think this move is a calculated risk. The PM has to balance social, economic, political and psychological elements in active play, and not just worry about inflating the infection number.

Some are saying that we should wait for the 12th and that this is too premature. I say why wait? Are you not ready to get into the 'new normal'? Did we all not have 45 days to think and prepare for the new normal?

I had already written a month ago about restaurants and buses being half full and workers having shifts or being present on alternate days. I am now thinking about how our children can go to school in a safe but in a new normal way that requires some drastic position on the educational syllabus as well as pedagogy.

I have been most impressed at the many courageous and intelligent things the PM and the PN government has done to deal with this dangerous pandemic.

Firstly, they have taken an extremely unpopular position about restricting Islamic activities. It is lucky that most Malays support this government. I don't think PH would be accepted by the Malays if they had taken a similar approach.

I was also very impressed with the PM for not using any aspect of the pandemic for political mileage. He has intelligently avoided crossing swords with anyone on many of the issues raised that can be interpreted as political sandiwara.

He has also silenced almost all of his ministers and has allowed one minister and one civil servant to be the spokespersons, and this is a master stroke that has avoided incidents such as the warm water or Tik Tok ridicules.

I was hoping that the government would let the students go home because as a parent, I would want my children with me. The students have stayed on campus for 30 days without any issue of infection and they should be allowed to travel back home with buses that are half full as well as private vehicles. They must all have packed lunches and must avoid social contact and allowed only bathroom stops supervised diligently by a responsible civil servant. Now, that has become a reality and students whose internet issues at their homes are the ones choosing to stay as they have no other choice.

Now, the PM is taking another courageous decision to loosen the MCO. This is a test for Malaysians to use their knowledge and sense of civic responsibility to ensure safe work and social practices be adhered to 'religiously'. Our very lives and those of our loved ones depend on it. Worse, strangers whom we do not know may suffer from our carelessness and callousness. We must all rise to the occasion and to the challenge. No two ways about it. We must make this work. We do not want a Hokkaido event in Malaysia and have our new normal be rescinded.

We must make sure that when we are free to roam about, we must practice social distancing and wear the mask all the time. If we take our children to the playground, make sure there are no other children for them to interact with. Outside isolation for our children is a must until after two or three months.

Refrain from eating at a restaurants just because we have money to do so. If Friday prayers can be repeated three brief times to accommodate congregation that are sitting in a six-foot diameter bubble, then so be it. But there shall not be any touching of hands in the normal Islamic greeting. Adult children can visit their parents in turns without other siblings and it is enough to see and perhaps not touch the parents.

We all have had a crash course in the new normal of wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds, staying home and being productive in many different ways. It is time for the mid-term examination where the government has allowed some freedom. If we fail this test we will have to get back to square one.

I disagree that the 4th is too early. From my own observation of people practicing this new normal at shops, restaurants and shopping centers, I think responsible adult Malaysians are ready. I am not sure about the illegal immigrants but we Malaysians are prepped for the examination and welcome it. If any companies or institutions take undue advantage by being 'greedy' and 'inconsiderate,' a hefty fine must ensue.

The present is already history. The future has reached us now. We are treading on the 4th of May into a new lifestyle and purpose.

(Professor Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor at a local university.)