The angels that walk amongst us - the unsung heroes

LETTER | Undulating praise has been heaped on those in the medical field, specifically the doctors and nurses in the hospitals who dealt with those patients who are symptomatic or are confirmed with positives with the Covid-19 virus.

Even the government joined in the chorus by including these individuals in the rescue package announced on March 26, 2020. There are even pictures being viral that shows medical personnel holding the placard with the tagline "I stay at work for you, you stay at home for us".

In the midst of the adulation heaped on the medical staff, I do hope all of us – do pause and reflect and think of all those other who are working in the ecosystem in:

• delivering the food to us while we complied with the stay at home order,

• the sanitation workers who cleared the wastes from our residences on a daily basis so that we can still stay at home bereft of the foul smells,

• the workers in the privately-owned pharmacies who continued to open so that we don’t miss our daily medications or supplements,

• the storekeepers and movers who worked tirelessly to replenish and stack up the shelves in the supermarkets so that all of us have enough food to eat during this period,

• the newspaper vendors who are still delivering the newsprints to us uninterrupted,

• the F&B operators who continued to open even though it is only for takeaway so that we don’t get bored with eating home cook food 3 meals a day, 

• the bus and train drivers who kept public transportation open so that those in the above categories can go to work.

By performing their responsibilities, all these people braved all, if not greater dangers to the health risks that the authorities are trying to contain. 

Unlike the medical personnel at the hospitals who understand the risks and take precautions, these unsung heroes have limited knowledge of the risks they are exposing themselves to while carrying out their responsibilities. But they have a job to do and that’s what they signed up for when agreed to accept the employment.

All they have with them is just a face mask. Even then, I doubt they replaced their face mask on a daily basis as the best practice advised by the medical field suggested. 

It is not their fault though for I am sure a lot of the employers do not provide face masks to their employees. And even if they do, it might be a limited number only. The shortage of face masks obviously contributes to the issue.

They are the silent and unsung heroes that are keeping every Malaysians alive and well. Imagine one group within the above ecosystem stops working. I dare not imagine the consequence. 

Thus, I was disappointed when the government in their rescue package did not mention these few groups in recognition of their efforts. To me, Covid-19 taught me that nature does not discriminate. It will strike whoever that stands in its path. Regardless of nationality, race, religious beliefs, status and wealth, how healthy you are or how poor you are, it ravages all that it comes across.

I would welcome any efforts by groups to reward and recognize these groups of unsung heroes who, in my mind, are the angels that walked amongst us. In normal times, some of you might feel embarrassed to let others know of your occupation. But that changes now. 

Nature has now paused and stopped for us, who in normal times might not know you even existed, to know and be aware of your existence and that your role and responsibilities are the same and of equal importance as everyone us in this world.

All of you should stand tall and be proud of the work you have been and are still undertaking. While we stayed at home, all of you undertook and carried out your responsibilities diligently ensuring that we stay safe and healthy while still have enough to feed ourselves.

My salute to you all. 32 million Malaysians owe it all to you.