LETTER | Grateful for electricity bill relief but worry about schools reopening

LETTER | Energy and Natural Resources Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah announced recently that under the Bantuan Prihatin Elektrik (BPE) scheme, four million domestic consumers will enjoy free electricity supply for April, May, and June. Thank you to our beloved Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who always listened to our grief and suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic.

After the massive amount of posts on social media regarding the complaints on TNB bill spikes, those whose bills are up to RM77, or 300 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity consumption, will now be free from paying three months of electricity usage during the movement control order (MCO) period.

It is such a relief for all those who are eligible, as some of the consumers may be jobless or have had their pay cut due to the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The amount might be small for some people, but for those who are in need, this is more than a blessing to help them survive in these hard times.

No one ever imagined the bill amount could be as high as it was for April and May, but the government has made the right decision at the right time.

We are grateful and blessed to have a very mindful government who always cares about the wellbeing of Malaysians. Though the government is not the one we voted for, this is the best government whereby the people matter the most.

Schools reopening, should we worry?

It was announced by Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently that schools will reopen with the need for students to prepare for public examinations such as SPM, SVM, STAM, and STPM after three months of school closure due to Covid-19.

There must be doubts and uncertainty among parents, teachers, and students as we all know the virus is still out there. However, looking at how the government has been dealing with the pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in schools over the last weekend, we can say that schools are ready for students' comeback.

Since the recovery MCO started, the ‘front-liner’ baton has been passed to all Malaysians. Therefore, as a parent and teachers, we need to ensure students adhere to the SOPs and new norms.

We should not worry as the SOPs set by the government is good enough to control the spread. For example, there is body temperature checking every day for everyone who comes into the school, and those with 37.5 C or higher are forbidden to enter.

We all hope that everyone stays safe and follow the SOPs accordingly. To all students all over Malaysia, best of luck in your examinations!