Jom, Colour Me: Time magazine person of the year

AND KNOW YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.

TIME magazine's first "Person of the Year" was aviator Charles Lindbergh, year 1927. Ninety-two years hence and this honour has been updated to profile a group, idea or even object. Any issue that has changed or influenced events during a year - "for better or worse" - is scrutinised for inclusion. Frontline health care workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci were named 2020 Guardian of the year, a deserving tribute.

Here are our Malaysian pharmacists together with doctors in the outreach team carting vaccines safely to reach villagers in Tanjung Embang at the mouth of the Sarawak river. The trip started at 7am as vaccines, syringes, cotton and other equipment had to be physically carried across the river, followed by a 20min road trip to reach the 498 villagers. I remember my grandpa once said to my brother, “If the mountain cannot come to Muhamad, Muhamad must go to the mountain.” He probably said this in a local context! This is exactly what our Malaysian front liners are doing.

Police and health workers conduct Covid 19 screening in Labuan.Faizah Hamezah, mother of five, has the task of preparing the remains of Muslim females for Covid-19 funerals. She considers her role as fardhu kifayah (compulsory communal obligation), preparing as many as up to 18 bodies a day.

With 6,000 plus deaths due to Covid-19 alone, these men ensure that Muslims are buried according to their religious rites. As they recite Al-Fatihah and prayers, they take over the duties of family members who can only follow the hearse but not allowed near the cemeteries.

The pandemic has produced a generation of lost children in countries where lock downs have closed schools. Sure, there were online and zoom lessons, but not every child here had the privilege of internet access. Nasir Mohamed teaches Science and Health Education in his wooden boat as he rows up and down Sungai (River) Kinabatangan. "We remind the pupils of the importance of education and for them to further their studies and bring changes to their communities." Their communities are remote and his boat is his classroom.

The Malaysian government have failed us on many issues. Our situation is tense both politically with power struggles and economically as citizens face poverty with loss of jobs.

BUT OUR FRONT LINERS HAVE NOT FAILED US.

On an international level, house-to-house vaccination for bedridden citizens in Valenzuela City, Metro Manila.

THAILAND: Covid-19 swab testing along canals for patients in home isolation in isolated villages. Image credit: Reuters.

"Up for Thai" was set up in memory of "Up" Kunlasub who passed away while in home-isolation for five days awaiting an ambulance.

To remember "Up," Thai film and TV director Chalermchatri and volunteers prepare 3000 meals per day for distribution.

"We think that if we let the government do everything on their own, they will be overburdened." "So, why not we, as Thai citizens lend a helping hand to help tackle some challenges."

In lesser words but with the same potent message, we sometimes have to ask ourselves during times of crisis - "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country" - JFK. Lake Tyres, Victoria, Australia. Image credit: Skippy