Dear Diary,
It felt like a pre-Movement Control Order (MCO) day when I went on my usual grocery shopping adventure this afternoon.
My wife was with me – the first time we have gone shopping together since early March – as we needed to go to three venues.
I also noticed many couples in cars – the government eased the one person per car rule on Wednesday.
Sadly, that also meant the supermarkets and hypermarkets were crowded and not everyone followed physical distancing when waiting to weigh items or get fish and poultry.
I had to use a shopping cart for physical distancing as people were getting too close!
And Conditional MCO only begins on Monday.
This is worrying as we registered 105 new cases today.
I know some are arguing we need to kickstart the economy as many are not getting paid. I’m just hoping we don’t get a new wave of infections.
On a lighter note, I finished my Sylvester Stallone marathon of Rocky movies and can’t wait to move to the Creed spinoffs.
Here’s how Day 46 of MCO unfolded.
7.55am: MAKE UP YOUR MINDS – In a Facebook posting, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz urges financial institutions to abolish accrued interest (on hire-purchase loans) or profits (on fixed-rate Islamic financing) during the six-month moratorium period. Wouldn’t it better to legislate it instead of asking banks to do the right thing?
8.03am: ROCKY BALBOA – I start on the sixth film of the Rocky series. The over-the-top in-ring action is ludicrous but the movies are a great watch.
9am: DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES – Saw this online. There are two sides to everything.
10.45am: FALSE DAWN – Japan Times reports several Covid-19 survivors have tested positive a second time. It was previously thought survivors would be immune to the virus. Scary.
Noon: THE NEW NORMAL?
12.48am: WARNING – Twentytwo13 managing editor Pearl Lee’s take of what might happen on Monday.
1.11pm: SCARY – I don’t want to sound like a scaremonger but this is a good read.
2pm: SO MANY CITY-ZENS – Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob says police have received more than 500,000 applications from those wanting to return to the cities. I can only imagine the traffic jam over the next few days!
He reminds everyone MCO is still in place and defends the move to reopen certain sectors to boost the economy.
2.44pm: SAFE SEX – While shopping, I take a look at the condom aisle. There were several types from Durex and noticed the cheaper ones were sold out. So no baby boom next year?
4.07pm: SARAWAK SAYS NO – The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee announces it will not implement Conditional MCO until after it studies implications it will have on the state.
4.37pm: CASES UP AGAIN – There are 105 new cases, the first time since April 16 we have had 100 or more cases in a day. The good news is there are no new deaths so fatalities remain at 103. The better news is that 116 patients were discharged. That means 4,326 or 70 per cent have been cured.
5pm: SO TRUE
6pm: YO, ADRIAN – While ‘Eye of the Tiger’ from the third film was a mega hit, I’ve always preferred the Rocky theme.
