MPU2163 - PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA 2

Trimester 1, 2022/2023

VIDEO REVIEW REPORT - GROUP 4

NO. STUDENT’S NAME ID

1 AZWIRAL AIMAN BIN AZLAN LONG 1211109197

2 AINA FARAH SYARAIN AZHAR 1211211510

3 FATIHAH AKHTAR FAHMI BINTI AZRI 1211212075

4 MUHAMMAD HADRIZ AIMAN BIN AHMAD ISKANDAR 1211211157

5 MUHAMMAD NAWFAL BIN LUKMAN 1211208890

6 MARISSA SOFEA BINTI MOHAMED NIZAM 1211211676

7 MUHAMMAD HARIS BIN MOHAMAD HAKIM 1211212104

8 MUHAMMAD NAZHIF HAIKAL BIN MOHD AZHARI 1211211832

9 QISTINA ADRIANA BINTI MOHAMAD SAHRIZAL 1211208985

10 WAN MUHAMAD AFZAL BIN WAN ABDUL RAZAK 1211208179

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Review Report of COVID-19 In Malaysia : Can The New
Poor Cope In The Post-Pandemic Era?

Link to video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P70c_1WeNiI

i. Introduction

1. The summary of issues mention in the material you choose (Hadriz & Nawfal)

On January 25, 2020, three imported cases of COVID-19 were identified in Malaysia.
According to the travel background of each case, imported cases are those that have
contracted an infection outside of Malaysia. Following notification from the Singapore
Ministry of Health that eight close contacts of a confirmed case of a Chinese nationality in
Singapore had entered Johor, Malaysia, the three cases were discovered through tracing and
screening. By February 15, there were 22 cases in Malaysia, including 12 PUIs, eight close
contacts of confirmed cases, and two Malaysians who had been evacuated as part of a
humanitarian relief mission from Wuhan, China. Only two instances in the first wave were
local transmission, with the majority (15 out of 22 cases) being imported cases or cases
involving Chinese nationals and close contacts (7). The first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
in the nation was developed after the 22nd case, when there were no additional cases
recorded for 11 days. First wave patients that contracted the illness all recovered.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia created the Guidelines for COVID-19 Management in
Malaysia (No. 05/2020) in response to the novel virus. According to the guidelines, PUI is
described as having an acute respiratory illness and having gone to or lived abroad, been in
close contact with confirmed cases within 14 days of the onset, or attended an event related to
a recognised epidemic. Those who "worked, travelled, or lived together with a COVID-19
patient" are referred to as close connections.

Beginning on February 27, the outbreak's second wave continued until the current work
was done. People who had previously travelled abroad to places like China, Japan, Italy, and
Australia began to exhibit symptoms starting on February 27. The close contacts of
confirmed cases who attended gatherings and events together started to develop clusters of

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cases, which led to many generations of infections. On March 10, the overall number of cases
among PUIs, close contacts, and evacuees of humanitarian aid operations reached 129.

Other groups of positive cases in Malaysia developed as a result of local mass gatherings
and imported PUI cases arriving from other nations. Three significant clusters were identified
in Sarawak: a three-day church gathering in Kuching that resulted in 176 cases and three
fatalities; a PUI from Italy that revealed infections among 63 cases and five fatalities; and a
hospital cluster that revealed 56 cases, of which 29 cases (or 52%) were connected to the
church gathering. A cluster in Kuantan, Pahang, from a PUI with a history of travel to Bali,
Indonesia, recorded 43 cases with three fatalities, including 10 medical staff members at a
hospital. In addition, 164 imported cases, including students, were detected among
Malaysians who returned from Indonesia (21). A total of 139 cases (1.1%) were found among
the 12,672 Malaysians who returned from abroad between April 3 and April 26. (14). The
MOH discovered 601 instances among non-Malaysians, including tourists, migrant workers,
and asylum seekers, the majority of whom were from Indonesia and the Philippines.

To control the local transmission rates, enhanced Movement Control Orders (EMCO)
were implemented in a number of places where cases had been identified in highly
concentrated numbers. The Sungai Lui village, which is connected to Sri Petaling Tabligh
(156 cases), Bandar Baru Ibrahim Majid in Kluang, Johor (193 cases, 4 deaths), and Masjid
India Road, where many foreign immigrants were residing, are among these locations.
Numerous regional wholesale markets in Selayang, Selangor, and northern Kuala Lumpur
reported a rise in cases (a total of 79 cases), which were connected to the Sri Petaling Tabligh
cluster. In order to prevent another massive outbreak like the one that occurred in Sri Petaling
Tabligh, the MOH also urged visitors who suspected they had been exposed to come forward
for screening because wholesale marketplaces are frequently visited by many individuals,
including traders from different markets.

However, MOH Malaysia stated that the majority of healthcare workers (HCWs) acquired
infections outside of healthcare settings rather than when handling patients, despite the fact
that HCWs face increased risks of infection when in close contact with patients (19). 70% of
the 325 cases (5.8% of all cases) among HCWs were transmitted through the community.

Malaysia entered the third wave of the outbreak in early October 2020 after the number of
cases decreased to a record low of between one and two digits from July to September, with

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the highest number of cases coming from Sabah (8,082), Selangor (3,357), Kuala Lumpur
(2,853), and Kedah (1,940) from September 1 to October 19 (The Star, 2020). Sabah, where
numerous significant clusters of illnesses have been detected, registered the highest number
of cases. The majority of these clusters are concentrated in the eastern part of Sabah,
particularly in Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau, and Sandakan.

The Lahad Datu District Police Headquarters' Benteng Lahad Datu cluster, which gave
rise to multiple subclusters, including the Tawau jail subcluster, is the largest cluster.
Following the Sabah state election on September 26, more people who had returned to
Malaysia's peninsula from high-risk locations in Sabah tested positive for the disease (MOH,
2020). (30). On October 8, there were 14,368 confirmed cases overall when the third wave
began. By December 3, there were 69,095 cases, up 381% in just 2 months. This also
indicates that, during the first and second waves, 21% of the cases occurred during a period
of about 10 months, whereas 79% of the cases occurred in just 2 months during the third
wave.

Similar to the scenario globally, Malaysia's elderly and people with chronic illnesses were
more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. The age group of the population between 55 and 64
years old had the highest incidence per population rate of COVID-19 cases, it was
discovered. Malaysia experienced its first two fatalities on March 17. (Figure 4). 63% of the
case fatalities were found to be older than 60, and 81% of them had chronic illnesses such
diabetes, hypertension, and heart conditions. The Ministry of Health (MOH) promoted the
use of PharMacy Value Added Services (VAS) available at MOH healthcare facilities such as
medicines through post, drive-through, locker, and appointment system in order to protect the
vulnerable groups and at the same time ensure adequate supply of medicine for them without
being exposed to high-risk environments such as hospitals. In addition, a manual titled
"Recommendations for the COVID-19 Pandemic for Private, Public, and NGO Residential
Aged Care Facilities'' was created specifically to oversee senior care facilities. Malaysia had
103 fatalities as of May 1 with a case fatality rate of 1.7%, which was lower than the WHO's
reported estimate of 3-4%.

The 26th case's cluster, which involved a trip history to Shanghai but symptoms that
appeared after a month, was one of the noteworthy clusters in the early second wave. The
cluster recorded a total of 121 cases, which was judged to be especially infectious compared
to the other cases because the case had attended multiple meetings before becoming aware of

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the infection. The viral strain recovered from the 26th instance may have undergone a
mutation later on, which may have made it more virulent and contagious. This discovery was
made by the Institute for Medical Research.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes the
COVID-19 illness has been linked to the spike mutation that allowed the SARS-CoV from
bats to infect people. Three major variants of the SARS-CoV-2 were discovered through
phylogenetic network analysis: strain A, which closely resembles the bat coronavirus; strain
B, which differs from strain A through synonymous and non-synonymous mutations; and
strain C, which differs from strain B through a non-synonymous mutation. The predominant
virus strain in Malaysia is strain B, which is only seen in East Asia. According to reports, the
other two strains—strain A, which is primarily prevalent in the USA and Australia, and strain
C in Europe—were also present in Malaysia.

The first case of COVID-19 in Malaysia appeared on Malaysian soil on January 25, 2020,
when a traveller from China (travelling via Singapore) tested positive for the virus. This is
where the outbreak of COVID-19 in Malaysia began. Since then, a new chapter in history has
been written, unsettling the foundation of the country's public health system and ultimately
putting the country's resiliency to the test.

Many nations, including Malaysia, have experienced economic decline as a result of

COVID-19. The rate of unemployment has risen to its highest point in a decade. This year,
the economy is predicted to fall by minus 3.5% to 5.5%. All tiers of society are now
experiencing the effects, but the poor and most vulnerable members of society are
particularly affected. They find themselves suddenly without a source of income and have
since fallen into the trap of poverty. The country's poverty levels have increased due to the
coronavirus outbreak for the first time since the Asian Financial Crisis of 1998.

2. The reason why you choose the topic. (Nawfal)

We selected this topic because it discusses Malaysia's poverty, which can lead to the country's
economic and social deterioration. It is also one of the problems that the Malaysian
government or leaders find extremely challenging to resolve.

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 Then again, it has negatively impacted a number of sectors that have the potential to
severely undermine Malaysia's economy. The repercussions of this pandemic have altered the
global economic landscape, making the economic sector one of the most severely damaged
sectors (INSKEN, 2020). The COVID-19 outbreak is also having an effect on the healthcare
sector. It undoubtedly has an impact on both the economy and healthcare in a variety of ways,
such as by making people more anxious about the possibility of contracting a lethal illness.
Workers are beginning to worry about going to work, which is increasing the pressure on the
market. As more nations begin to take measures to stop individuals from leaving their homes
to carry out daily activities, including going to work, the issue is growing increasingly
frightening. As a result, numerous industries started to limit their spending. Therefore, as a
result of the concern over losing the primary source of income, spending is only reserved for
basic necessities.

The theme was also chosen because it educates us the importance of zakat, one of the
Islamic social justice systems that protects human survival, for all Muslims and Malaysians.
It is a compassionate gift from God to the poor and an opportunity for devotion for the
wealthy. The zakat legislation encompasses ukhrawi and global maqasid.

ii. Review of The Video

1. What are the main issues mentioned? (Marissa)

The main issue mentioned in the video is, can the new poor in Malaysia cope and
survive the challenges in the new post-pandemic era. With the pandemic that is going on,
Malaysians are definitely facing a big challenge compared to the past years. The economy
has been affected by unemployment. As we are all aware, the deadly COVID-19 virus has
resulted in a significant amount of unemployment, which has surpassed its highest level in a
decade. This issue has become the most critical issue in Malaysia history. Besides that, the
economy has been expected to contract between minus 3.5% and 5.5% in 2020. Despite the
extensive discussion of the topic and government assistance, the issue has not yet been
resolved due to Malaysia's high unemployment rate. All segments of society are now dealing
with the effects, particularly the poor and most vulnerable. However, the government

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continues to bear full responsibility for minimising the pandemic's impacts on the economy
and society.

As an extension of the issues, most of the new poor in Malaysia come from salaried jobs
every month. Due to lockdown and individuals losing their jobs as a result of being unable to
pay bills during the outbreak, the workforce faced a loss of revenue. Moreover, some people
find it difficult to survive when they receive their paycheck late. Furthermore, things were
substantially different prior to the pandemic. There were a lot of poor individuals around;
there is no question about that. Regrettably, since the MCO, an increasing number of families
are beginning to experience poverty and hardship. This is the first time since the Asian
Financial Crisis of 1998 that the level of poverty has dramatically increased. Hence, this
indicates that, in contrast to the earlier crises that occurred in Malaysia, it is becoming more
demanding for the government and its citizens to cope with the pandemic of this hazardous
virus.

The impoverished in Malaysia can only hope that the recovery occurs sooner rather than
later; thus, it is imperative that they adapt to this new post-pandemic era and survive.
However, what many anticipate will most likely not be a return to normalcy but rather a
change to a new normal. Considering that as Malaysians, we have many formalities to follow.
What's more, because the majority of individuals exhibit signs of anxiety and depression,
coping and surviving is not an easy matter. Many of us have started to feel lonely and isolated
throughout the past year due to issues with finances, lack of emotional support, etc. Despite
that, this pandemic made us all realize that life can change at any time, leading to increased
levels of anxiety and increased awareness of our lack of control over many aspects of life.

As has been said, the COVID-19 crisis has affected societies and economies around the
globe and will permanently reshape our world as it continues to unfold. While the fallout
from the crisis is both amplifying familiar risks and creating new ones, change at this scale
also creates new openings for managing systemic challenges, and ways to build back better.
The epidemic had some unexpected positive results. In the midst of the entire crisis, with the
spread of the virus, all industrial activity and human exploitation of natural resources came to
a complete halt. Due to this, the level of pollution declined, and nature rejuvenated itself.
Even at home, the lockdown had its fair share of advantages. The COVID-19 pandemic
caused a lot of damage around the world. Working with COVID-19, the globe learned

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numerous lessons, and each lesson is vital in preparing for a future pandemic and preventing
potential pandemics.

2. What are the factors that cause this issue to happen (Haris)

The factors that caused this issue to happen are mainly because of the virus
COVID-19 itself. This COVID-19 has forced the people to go through MCO or in other word
Movement Control Order which is also known as lockdowns multiple times when the
COVID-19 cases were rising out of control. Due to this lethal virus spreading like wildfire,
individuals are compelled to limit their social interactions and avoid direct contact with the
outside world. This clearly demonstrates that they must remain inside of their homes, which
has an impact on small businesses. This virus has a greater impact during lockdowns, where
individuals are ordered to stay inside their house and perhaps other safe zones by the
command of the health department made clear by the prime minister until further notice is
issued to ensure the safety of civilians. Small businesses are already adversely affected by the
virus's propagation alone. Many local businesses are completely shut down once this MCO
strikes multiple times. For instance, the mechanic that was interviewed used to be able to
generate around RM2000 and lowest RM800 a month which is enough to sustain his life and
fulfil his family needs, but with the lockdowns occurring, the income dropped to zero in a
heartbeat which was out of his control. This affects both large corporations and small
businesses. Let's look at the manufacturing and tourism sectors to discuss the major industries
that were impacted by this pandemic. Immigrant workers had to be let go, factories had to
shut down, and tourism agencies had to stop operating.

Continuing further into the details, this COVID-19 pandemic which led to MCO has
caused numerous amounts of unemployment where people lose their jobs and suffer from
losing income to sustain themselves and their loved one. Some might not even lose their
income but rather get reduced by their bosses. When businesses can no longer survive
throughout the pandemic, the owner starts to lower the salaries given to the worker, this have
caused the worker to be demanding and ask for higher pay with the reasoning to survive in
this pandemic which lead the owner to not pay them instead due to the fact that others are
willing to work for lower salaries as long as there are incomes. This is beneficial for business
owners since they can use the additional funds to support their company and maintain its

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survival. Consequently, this resulted in circumstances that disrupted the worker's life because
they weren't able to make purchases for themselves due to a lack of earnings, which explains
why an increasing number of people are falling into the poverty trap. This unemployment
case does not only happen to workers or lower-ranked people in the business, but it happens
among owners of businesses as well, where they lose their company, staff, and even their own
income. This is because their business can no longer survive, and they have to pay their own
staff and other debts involved in their business, leading to poverty. For a normal person,
losing their job is already a nightmare to live with throughout the pandemic, but for a
business owner, it is pretty much a hell because they are surrounded by debts and stuff to be
paid while having no source of income.

As we can see, it does not take much to paralyse the whole community—enough with
just movement restrictions. To understand this in a better understanding take hotel business as
an example. When movement control orders are made, people can no longer go on trips,
which means hotels would get no customers at all. Because of this particular reason, the hotel
owners have to shut down their business to avoid having more debts just to pay their staff.
Overtime, the staff has to be laid off due to the owner running out of money because of their
business not being able to run. In some cases, the hotel buildings are not even fully owned by
the owners. But rented, so in order to avoid having more stuff to pay, they would shut down
their business and sell the whole building to pay off the workers and other debts in order to
survive. This has woken up many people to be aware of their surroundings and to start
preparing for potential pandemics or disasters so that they and their families can survive
independently without the aid of others. Even if we were aware that the government would
extend out to assist the people, it did not imply that everyone would receive help; rather, only
those who truly needed it would.

3. Any solutions to solve this issue? (Haikal)

There are a number of approaches that can be used to tackle this particular issue.
Financial assistance is, of course, the single best way to deal with this problem. Governments
all across the world, including Malaysia, have invested billions of dollars, as an example, to
alleviate financial burdens, reestablish the economy, and keep it running efficiently and
effectively while undergoing this pandemic. The Malaysian government has unveiled four
economic stimulus packages totalling an estimated amount of RM315 billion. They are part

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of a series of fiscal measures to help secure their businesses and households. Corresponding
with this issue, the government has made a few good specific plans, and that would be the
subsidy program. This subsidy program is a program where it cut off extra margin cost of
products which managed to help all types of businesses to reduce the cost of keeping their
business running along with the loss of employment and also help their businesses to sustain
in this downward and poor economic environment we are facing.

Another solution that can be considered to overcome this pivoted problem is changing
platforms to continue their businesses or start a business. As an illustration, some of the fired
employees have managed to make a living by engaging in online retailing, such as selling
food supplies to others by utilising online platforms for marketing. After all, delivery services
continue to operate in situations like this. In light of the fact that this online commerce is
founded on digital platforms like Facebook, Shopee, Instagram, or even WhatsApp, it is
recognised as an entirely new platform from the previous one, when the majority of company
activity had to be carried out physically. They decided to open up a small business to help
their financial problems, such as paying their debts and other needs, like daily supply of food
to feed their precious family. Following the stressful events they faced during the severe
pandemic crisis, this form of activity has had a positive effect on society in terms of
increasing their quality of life. As we all know, we are currently living in a modern era, and
all sorts of information can be accessed through the internet. which indicates that people can
learn to run online businesses through the internet, or maybe some of them can attend the
online seminars that are being held within online meeting platforms like Google Meet or
Zoom to gain more knowledge on how to do online business. This is a great opportunity for
them to start their own business and learn how to manage it so they can survive until they can
get a job again.

Other than that, the government plays an important role in this kind of issue.
Government tasks were not supposed to burden their civilians, it is quite the opposite which
is to reduce their burden on their shoulders. Government should have decreased the amount
of taxes that are being charged upon local people in this country during this kind of situation.
The reason why the government should have done that is because during the pandemic many
civilians have lost their jobs due to the economic environment, all the bosses had to let go of
some of the employees to reduce the cost in order to keep the business and their company
running instead of shutting it down. With that being said, the government should be

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considerate in this situation because it should be a win-win situation for both business owners
and the government. The government must keep on supporting all the business owners in this
country so that they can boost their businesses and maintain stability in the economic
environment. It still needs a lot of patience for this situation to be resolved because we need
both the business owner and the government to be working together harmoniously and not
selfishly.

iii. Conclusion (Azwiral)

When COVID-19 hit Malaysia in the past and the Movement Control Order (MCO)
was implemented in our country, people were ordered to remain inside. Indeed, it was a really
tough period for everyone in Malaysia because it had an effect on practically every industry.
With the unemployment rate increasing in the country due to the economically shaken
situation caused by the virus, people had to struggle to find a different alternative in order to
survive in the crisis. After the initial lockdown, it was initially anticipated that things would
get better, but sadly, as more lockdowns were enforced, things started to deteriorate.

Despite all that, the government played an important role in helping the citizens of
Malaysia. As we all observe and know, many Malaysians lost their jobs and had no main
source of income at all. They were having a hard time to pay bills, to buy food or even to buy
basic necessities. Moreover, looking at a more broad view, many companies were shut down,
some had a big loss in terms of revenue, and some businesses were bankrupt. All of those, the
Malaysian government invested tonnes of money as a type of financial assistance. For
instance, the government unveiled economic stimulus packages to reduce the financial
burdens, rebuild the economy, keep it running efficiently and effectively while undergoing
the COVID-19 pandemic, and most critically, help the poor and the most vulnerable segment
of society.

Lastly, with the wild COVID-19 outbreak around the globe, countless experiences and
lessons can be learned. As time passed, unfamiliar things started to become familiar. With all
the struggles and tussles that happened, they caused people to become stronger than ever, to

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survive, to work hard, and to develop a better version of themselves. Remember that things
happened for a reason if not reasons. Indeed, experience is one of the keys to moving forward
as a better version of yourself.

iv. Self-Reflection (Fatihah & Qistina)

1. What did you learn from the video?

From what we have learned in the video, life can change in the blink of an eye. It’s
like a wheel; as you go up in the world, you can go down just as quickly. From rich to poor,
famous to forgotten, gain of a new passion to the loss of a loved one. The COVID-19
pandemic has greatly affected the economy in all sectors. Countless tragedies have happened
to innocent families all around the globe.

Albeit all seems lost, we shall not lose hope. Tragedy is bound to happen, as life itself
is a test that everyone takes. Everything is temporary in this world, there’s no use crying over
spilled milk, and it is unwise to take any given fortunes for granted.

Working hard may not repay you, as these situations are uncontrollable. There is no
one to blame for this; we have no choice but to adapt to misfortune. For example, in the
bankruptcy of businesses due to the pandemic, individuals will merely adapt to the
circumstances and find alternative ways of earning income. Things don’t always go as
planned, and that’s okay.

Other than that, we should always do our best to care for our loved ones and vice
versa. No man is an island; we must help each other, especially in dire times like these.
Besides, it’s okay to reach out for help as well. We can’t get anywhere if we keep everything
to ourselves; the burden will be too heavy for us to move.

Let us appreciate the things in life that make us happy, even the little things. Be
grateful for what has been given to us, as others may not be so lucky. Change our perspective
on the world from mundane to optimistic, since there’s a silver lining in everything.

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2. What is your opinion on the topic chosen?

Malaysia should take the initiative to reform all the states, not just the tourist
attractions. This is vital for our country’s future. Half of the areas on the peninsula are greatly
underdeveloped and forgotten by the government as they are not as popular or profitable. The
people are severely affected by this approach, striving for scarce resources from their lands.
In such modern times as these, why must they still survive like nomads? This is far from an
ideal nation. We advise that government officials divide their resources wisely and improve
the country as a whole, giving everyone a fair life in a comfortable environment.

3. Your feelings before and after doing this assignment.

Before doing this assignment, we as a group were deep in our comfort zone, enjoying life day
by day and ignorantly taking things for granted. We were less aware of the impact the
pandemic had due to our financial privileges.

We had to do quite a bit of research to complete this assignment. Hence, after doing it, we’ve
realised the harsh reality and what it’s like for the less fortunate. We’re devastated that we
can’t do more to help those in need, but we concluded that instead of dwelling on the
uncontrollable, we shall seize this moment and do our best in order to make the world a better
place.

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v. References

R. LOHESWAR. (2020, January 25). Health Ministry confirms three cases of coronavirus
infection in Malaysia. Malay Mail. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/25/health-ministry-confirms-three-cases-
of-coronavirus-infection-in-malaysia/1831344

Malaysiakini. (2020, April 19). 43 students returning from Indonesia infected with Covid-19,
detected at KLIA. Malaysiakini. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/521462

The Star. (2020, August 14). Economy to contract 3.5% to 5.5% this year, rebound in 2021.
The Star. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/08/14/economy-to-shrink-35-to-5
5-this-year-rebounding-in-2021

Augustin, S. (2021, September 28). Over 37,000 businesses shut down during MCO 3.0 |
Free Malaysia Today. FMT. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/09/28/over-37000-businesses-shut
-down-during-mco3-0/

Ministry of Finance Malaysia. (2021, October 5). More than RM330 bln of economic stimulus
packages utilised – MoF. Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia. Retrieved January 17, 2023,
from
https://www.mof.gov.my/portal/en/news/press-citations/more-than-rm330-bln-of-economic-sti
mulus-packages-utilised-mof

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