Twentytwo13

The MCO Diaries takes a break after 84 days

Dear Diary,

Today is the final day of the daily ‘The MCO Diaries’.

We may do a weekly edition during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) until Aug 31.

It’s been fun chronicling the daily happenings for the past 84 days but it could also be gloomy as reading the comments on social media has at times, made me lose faith in humanity.

There really are so many Covidiots out there but seeing the number of new cases drop to seven yesterday and today makes it worth the effort.

The big news of the day is former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal make their first visit to PKR’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya. Something is certainly brewing.

Meanwhile, former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman was acquitted of all 46 corruption and money-laundering charges in connection with timber concession contracts in the state – a decision that has raised plenty of eyebrows.

At the same time, Datuk Peter Anthony, who is vice-president of Warisan, was questioned by the Sabah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to help in an investigation involving road maintenance contracts by the state government.

Interesting times in the east.

Over in the United States, thousands lined up outside Houston’s Fountain of Praise Church to pay respects to George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis two weeks ago.

For live updates, click here.

Here’s how Day 84 of MCO unfolded.

7.39am: HIDING DATA? – Critics accuse President Jair Bolsonaro of manipulating the figures showing the spiralling Covid-19 death toll in Brazil, after his government first stopped reporting the total number of fatalities and infections, and then released conflicting data.

8.51am: DO YOUR PART – Are we doing enough to stop Covid-19?

9.33am: VACANCIES – This website says it has access to 30,000 job openings in Malaysia.

10.08am: WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES

11.43am: SPOOKY OR COINCIDENCE? – Shared this meme from facebook.com/50nerdsofgrey/ this morning.

Less than three hours later, rebooted the laptop for an update. Lo and behold, I have Microsoft Edge, and it even pinned itself to the taskbar!

12.15pm: MISSING TIGER – The USPGA Tour resumes on Thursday with the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. Sixteen of the world’s top 20 players are competing but one conspicuous name not in the entry list is Tiger Woods. He may return at the Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament on July 16, which he has never missed when healthy.

1.01pm: IN NEED OF LONGER ARMS

2pm: RAPID BACKTRACK – Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob slams Rapid Rail, whose chief executive officer Abdul Hadi Amran said earlier today the company would ditch physical distancing measures tomorrow. The beat down forced the company to issue a statement saying it will abide by the regulations set by the government.

Convenience stores and food outlets can now operate until midnight instead of until 10pm. Businesses still can’t operate around the clock.

Surau at shopping malls and rest and recreation (R&R) areas, as well as businesses at R&R and zoos, will be allowed to operate from tomorrow.

3.15pm: LATE BRUNCH – There have been several recipes in the diaries but this brunch is just a throw-together – garlic wrap, hard-boiled eggs, Ramly burger and leftover prawn curry. Buuurrrrpppppppp.

4.20pm: KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

5.22pm: PLEA$ANT DAY – My car is in the workshop and was bracing for a big bill. But the mechanic says only minor repairs, although he had trouble getting the spare parts. I had informed him it was overdue for service but he said I misread the sticker on the windshield … the mileage was the last time it was serviced not when it was due for another check. Seems I only travelled slightly more than 1,300km since February.

5.39pm: GREAT NEWS – Fatalities remain at 117 while only seven – the joint lowest with yesterday – new infections are recorded today. That makes it 8,336 cases. With another 281 patients discharged, it means 6,975 people have been cured. That’s an amazing 83.67 per cent recovery rate. Great job by Health Director-General Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and the rest of the frontliners.

6.30pm: THAT’S THE WAY THE WORLD GOES ROUND – John Prine performs this number peppered with anecdotes which have the audience in stitches. He stretches the song from 3:21s to nearly eight minutes. It’s a pity I never had the chance to watch him perform live. The perfect ending for the daily version of ‘The MCO Diaries’.