Malaysians Share Wholesome Stories Of How They're Adapting To The 'New Normal'

As a matter of fact, many programmes and campaigns promoting the new normal continue to be well-received by the public.

In an interview with Harian Metro, Teoh said that the new normal is not a burden. As a matter of fact, it benefits society as a whole.

"Truthfully, since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was introduced, my family and I have been healthier and we rarely get ill. In contrast to the past, we'd have to visit the clinic at least once a month. I believe that this is all thanks to the new normal," he noted.

"We've become more aware of personal hygiene and children also take on the responsibility to remind each other about important things such as wearing face masks and using hand sanitiser."

While at Al-Hijrah Mosque in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, Halim said despite having to line up and have his temperature taken before entering the mosque, he can't complain.

According to him, everyone who attends prayers at the mosque practises physical distancing without being told to do so by officers on duty. This shows that people have accepted and implemented the new normal in their daily lives.

Wedding boutique owners Hasif and Hafiz said that they're not fazed by the challenges that have come their way amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While the MCO was enforced, our boutique had to temporarily halt operations. This surely affected our business. As entrepreneurs, we had to be more proactive and creative in promoting our products," said Hasif.

"Online platforms including social media have become a new medium for us to advertise our products and services throughout the quarantine," he added.

When asked about their business amid the new normal, Hafiz expressed his relief as everything has been going fine without any issues. He noted that all of their customers have been cooperating to abide by SOP before entering the premises. Furthermore, he's grateful because their business is booming once again.

Full-time photographer Nor Asyilah said that she has her own way of working amid the new normal.

"Since I attend a lot of events such as weddings, I've taken my own initiative in helping the host or bride's family in making sure guests follow SOP," she said.

"It is challenging when some guests don't cooperate, but after a while, it's become a norm and it's quite fun." 

She then added that all parties play an important role in making sure the chain of COVID-19 infections is broken.

Admitting that it is no longer awkward to live life according to the new normal, Amirul Hamzah said that the '3W' - wash, wear, and warn - have become apart of his daily routine.

"If someone doesn't wear a face mask in a crowded public space, everyone will look at that differently. Nowadays, not conforming to the new normal is the weird thing to do," he said.

He noted that the new normal should be continued for a long time even after the country recovers from COVID-19.

As a matter of fact, he is convinced that Malaysians would give their full support to the government in their efforts to curb the virus in the future.

To this day, Malaysians' spirit in practising the new normal is impressive and unwavering, and now everyone has to shoulder the responsibility of being a 'frontliner' themselves.

Regardless of whether you're a parent, a teacher, a driver, a security guard, or anyone at all, we are all in the frontlines now.

It is time to take care of each other. This pandemic can be stopped if all Malaysians cooperate and work together.

A BM version of this article originally appeared on Harian Metro.