Keep on fighting and be wary

The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been extended until Feb 4 but be prepared for it to continue beyond Chinese New Year.

Covid-19 is everywhere, so that’s nothing new. The number of cases keeps rising.

Previously, it was “oh, a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, has Covid-19” but now, it is more of “my friend has tested positive”.

This week several friends confirmed they have Covid-19, as do some family members.

Some have been admitted to the hospital. Others are quarantining at home, waiting for the Health Ministry to pick them up.

Other friends have lost family members to the coronavirus … yet many still treat Covid-19 as a joke.

All it takes is one person to infect a whole bunch as some politicians have found out recently (for a list of politicians who have or had Covid-19, see below).

While many joke they hope the politicians get infected (I’m guilty of that too), sometimes we forget some of these jokers mingle with the rakyat – seldom adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) – and one positive case can affect many innocent people.

Is there a point to this week’s ‘The MCO Diaries’? Well, instead of ranting and raving, as usual, I thought it would be good to remind everyone that no one is safe and we have to be extra careful.

Please follow the SOPs and always be aware of your surroundings.

Anyway, today is the 312th day since the start of the original MCO and this is the 32nd weekly edition of ‘The MCO Diaries’.

74 DEATHS LAST WEEK

Malaysia suffered 74 Covid-19-related deaths in the past seven days, including a record-high 18 yesterday. That brought the total fatalities to 660.

Besides the 18 yesterday, there were three other days where they were double-digit deaths – Jan 19 (14), Jan 20 (11) and Jan 21 (12).

That marks the first time there has been such a sequence.

Malaysia also recorded more than 4,000 new Covid-19 cases twice last week – Jan 16 (4,029) and Jan 20 (4,008) – with Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah warning it could even reach as high as 8,000 in March.

In total, we recorded 25,114 new infections – another seven-day high – making it 176,180 cases in total. We look likley to surpass 200,000 cases next week.

The good news is that a record 17,429 patients were cured taking the total to 132,706.

Globally, we will pass 100 million cases next week as there are currently slightly more than 98.2 million infections. Fatalities are a fraction more than 2.1 million.

SPOT ON

POLITICAL NUMBERS

Here is a list of politicians who have had or still have Covid-19.

Jan 3: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.

Jan 8: Bingkor assemblyman Datuk Robert Tawik of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku.

Jan 9: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Umno Nenggiri assemblyman Ab Aziz Yusoff.

Jan 10: Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun and Umno Galas assemblyman Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim.

Jan 12: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and Amanah’s Parit Yaani assemblyman Aminolhuda Hassan.

Jan 13: Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin and Umno Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Jan 15: PAS vice-president Senator Idris Ahmad.

Jan 18: Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Jan 19: National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.

Jan 20: Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.

Jan 22: Former PAS vice-president Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali.

SCAM ALERT

Every week we read about one Macau scam or another. Early last month, police in Johor Bahru busted a syndicate that laundered its illicit gains, said to be worth RM336 million.

However, here’s another scam which we should be warier of as it involves the takeover of WhatsApp accounts.

Be careful folks and try these tips to secure your WhatsApp account.

CHINESE NEW YEAR GOODIES

If you are looking for some Chinese New Year cookies, do give these a try. There are four packages available.

I AM ON THE WAY

GOOD MEMORIES

I’ve been catching up on some television programmes – old and new during this version of the MCO. That includes one of my all-time favourites – The Wonder Years.

I’ve watched the series countless times over the years (who says repeats on Astro’s various channels are no fun?).

I recently re-watched the series finale. It is as poignant now as it was then.

Many reboots are happening as Hollywood and television networks have run out of ideas but this is one series I hope never gets remade … even though, sadly, Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper didn’t end up together in the end.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Seven years ago, in a column for The Malay Mail, I described Joe Cocker as such: “Probably the only singer who could make a Beatles song better – as blasphemous as that sounds.”

For the record, Cocker’s rendition did receive the thumbs-up from the Fab Four. It was also the theme song for ‘The Wonder Years’

Interestingly, there were three versions of the opening sequence, with a different rendition of Cocker’s version of the song in all of them.

Here’s a live version of the late, great Cocker belting out this magical song.