“We Were Going to a Place Where COVID-19 Was Prevalent”

Humans of Medicine #9

A Covid-19 tribute to our heroes on the frontlines. 

“There are people out there who need help. That was my first thought when the government announced the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic and implemented the Movement Control Order (MCO). But with our movement restricted, who will help them?

There were university students stuck at home. They’re away from family. They can’t leave, they don’t have cars, and they have no money. Meanwhile, as a seasoned volunteer, I have a platform with the Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) to procure and distribute daily necessities to people who need them.

There were nurses in Hospital Sungai Buloh (HSB) who were sewing together their own tudungs and clothes to wear as personal protective equipment.  I had 400 tudungs in my storage room that I could give them, brand new and never used.

I could help. 

Before this pandemic, my volunteer work was mainly with the Orang Asli, but this time, with the MCO, people in the city are struggling more than them. The Orang Asli can still live off the vegetation in their village, but the same cannot be said for those who live in urban areas.  Many of these people live on daily wages, and now that they’ve stopped working, where will they get income? How will they get help?  So, I have redirected my focus accordingly towards them. 

With permission from the highest authority of MRA Perak, I went to the police headquarters in Ipoh to request for an authorization letter to allow us to actively contribute and transport food and medical supplies during this Covid-19 season. Not many were brave enough to approach the Police High Commissioner. I did, and now we have approval to travel throughout Malaysia.

However, MRA was hesitant to let us go to HSB. Not because they didn’t want us to help; they were just worried about our safety. So, we left without telling them. 

Police control was tight on the highway. There was roadblock after roadblock, and we were stopped and questioned by police at each blockade. We didn’t talk much, just handed them the authorization letter. Whatever question they asked, I answered them with confidence. There was no reason for us to be afraid. We were doing good deeds. I think the policemen could see that, so they let us through very easily. I thank Allah SWT for making the journey smooth.

There were two others with me on the journey. We brought packed food and ate in the car. We were too afraid to leave the vehicle. The entire journey, our doors were shut, and our windows were closed. Even when we needed to use the restroom, we were careful. We were constantly applying hand sanitizer until our skin turned dry. Understandably, we were going to a place where Covid-19 was prevalent, and we were being cautious.

Halfway to HSB, we finally informed the MRA management about our trip. They were shocked, but they understood our sentiments. After all, we were all volunteers for the same reason. 

While I was organising my HSB trip, they were busy organising aid for the disadvantaged. With donations received, we have been buying groceries at supermarkets and have been distributing food door-to-door. We practice Standard Operating Procedures dictated by the Ministry of Health, and we leave the necessities outside their gates. Regardless of race, if you reach out to us for help, we will help. The MRA has not been idle during the MCO.

I am but a humble servant of Allah SWT. I am just doing my small part. I help those who need help.”

(Interviewed by Arisha Yap and Jasmine Wong. Written by Jasmine Wong. Consent has been obtained from the interviewee for the purpose of this publication. The author has rewritten the article with permission from the interviewee.)

Humans of Medicine is a new initiative under MMI. We tell inspiring stories behind portrait shots of our everyday unsung heroes. Curated by Malaysian medical students from home and abroad.

If you have a story you would like to share, please reach out to us at admin@malaysianmedics.org.

About the Author

Dr Jasmine Wong is an alumnus of Monash University who is currently a researcher at University Putra Malaysia.