Heartwarming moments during the MCO
While this COVID-19 pandemic has solidified its place in history, with all the devastation it has caused, there are heartwarming moments to emerge from it too. Because with adversity comes unity, as proven by fellow Malaysians who continued showing acts of kindness to help each other through the difficult times.
Here are 8 heartwarming Malaysian moments that took place during the MCO to brighten up your day.
1. Sabahan farmers gave out vegetables and fruits to their neighbours
Image credit: @homegrownfarmsmy
We’ve read about how some farmers who had an oversupply of produce threw them out as it’s the easiest and fastest solution. But a group of farmers in Sabah decided to share their harvests with neighbours during the MCO.
That act of kindness was highlighted in a Facebook post by user Fadzil Haji Aziz, which showed photos of fruits, vegetables and even seafood, placed on a table or in plastic bags tied on fences outside a number of houses.
Image credit: Fadzil Haji Aziz
There were accompanying cardboard signs explaining that the produce was free, while encouraging people to only take one bag or item for each household.
The post garnered 1,800 likes and 5,700 shares with heartfelt comments by netizens who were touched by the farmers’ generosity to their fellow villagers.
2. Man in Melaka offered to mend frontliners’ shoes for free
Image adapted from: @laa1a
As the nation is doing all it can to win the war against the virus, the frontliners are the ones who are battling it the hardest. They have been working day and night, risking their health and sacrificing long periods of time with their families to help the country manage the spread of the virus and save the lives of those who were infected by it.
And a Melaka man Abdul Ghafur, who repairs shoes for a living, offered to mend these frontliners shoes for free. He tweeted out his initiative and said that this was the least he could do to help the doctors, nurses and police in Melaka.
3. Grab driver absorbs delivery fees when he found out that he was sending packages for an NGO
Image credit: Marketing Interactive
Essentials workers have been a huge blessing during the MCO and this particular Grab driver took it up a notch by deciding to forgo his delivery fees upon realising that his recipients were needy families.
Dignity for Children, an NGO that provides education while caring for the urban poor children in Kuala Lumpur, shared his story on their Instagram page to convey their appreciation. They relayed that their staff called for a GrabExpress delivery to send out packages to Gombak, where most of their beneficiaries are staying. When the Grab driver found out about the nature of the work that Dignity for Children was doing, he offered to deliver the goods without charging delivery fees.
The driver also shared that he had been personally buying groceries for his neighbours who were facing financial difficulties during this period. This goes to show that no act of kindness goes unnoticed by the recipient, no matter how small it may seem.
4. The little girl who wrote a heartfelt letter to Dr Hisham and got a reply from him
Image credit: @imancullen_
The name Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is highly recognised not just in Malaysia, but globally as well, and rightly so. Ranked as the top 3 doctors in the world, his leadership and dedication in fighting the pandemic has become our nation’s pride.
He is respected by Malaysians from all walks of life, including year 3 student Lara Khadijah McAfee who wrote him a letter expressing her gratitude. What made the gesture even more adorable was that she sent it together with a handmade friendship bracelet.
Image credit: @imancullen_
The turn of events touched netizens further when Dr Hisham replied to her letter saying that he is lucky to have a great team with him, together with fellow Malaysians who also played their part by staying home.
Towards the end of his letter, he encouraged Lara to study hard and signed off by referring to himself as “her new friend”. How cute!
5. Petrol station in Shah Alam offered free essentials to the needy
Image credit: Petron Setia Alam
What started off as a small gesture of kindness by a petrol station in Shah Alam morphed into a community drive as the neighbourhood banded together to donate essentials to the needy.
The timeline went like this: On 27th March, Petron Setia Alam posted about their initiative on Facebook, stating that they have prepared 500g of rice for those who needed it, on a first-come-first-served basis.
Image credit: Petron Setia Alam
Once word got out, people living in the area started to contribute to the handout by donating other food essentials such as flour, salt, sugar, milk powder and eggs. The staff at the petrol kiosk eventually set up a proper table to hand out these essentials to people who came along.
6. Malaysian 3D printing and design communities came together to produce face shields for frontliners
Image credit: @nishapuvan
As the pandemic worsened, the plight of frontliners in dire need of protective wear, otherwise known as personal protective equipment (PPE), became a common worldwide concern. Thankfully, Malaysians were quick to solve the problem as 3D printing and design communities worked together to make sure that our frontliners’ safety would not be compromised.
The initiative was first kickstarted by Wan Cheng Huat, founder of MinNature Malaysia through a Facebook group called Open Source Community Fight Against COVID 19 – Malaysia. The self-funded group focuses on producing face shields for hospitals and security personnel using 3D printing, laser cutting or DIY builds.
To help meet demand, entities like Pebblereka contributed 10 machines to the group to boost the production of face shields, while the Biji-Biji Initiative also sought to partner with larger producers who are more equipped with machines to immediately increase production volume and prevent a shortage in PPE.
7. NGO in Sabah feeds stray dogs and cats during MCO
Image credit: @pawspj
The implementation of the MCO emptied out the streets, and our stray cats and dogs became one of the vulnerable communities too – the people who used to feed them regularly were stuck at home and eateries were closed, so there was less food made available to them.
That prompted Borneo Animal Welfare Society Sabah (BAWSS) to step in to make sure that the stray animals who usually relied on leftovers and scraps from operating eateries, weren’t left starving alone outside. The members made it a point to consistently feed the strays around the Penampang and Donggongon areas during the MCO. While they’re mostly self-funded, they do receive contributions from close friends who are also concerned about the fate of these animals.
8. Dutch Lady distributed milk to frontliners and the underprivileged communities
Image credit: @dutchladymy
The MCO has threatened the livelihoods of many Malaysians. It affected everyone, including business owners, office workers, hawker stall operators, students and more. But the vulnerable communities’ well-being face higher risks.
Government bodies and NGOs have stepped in to offer the underprivileged shelter, food and job opportunities. Even big corporations such as Dutch Lady lent a hand too, by contributing over 100,000 packets of milk to frontliners, essential service workers, city councils and the B40 community in the Klang Valley in their bid to help the nation stay healthy.
Malaysians weather through bad times together with heartwarming moments during the MCO
When times are bad, it’s instinctive for us to take care of ourselves and our loved ones first, but it is only through our united efforts that we’re able to recover faster and stronger as a country.
It is truly a relief to know that Malaysians aren’t letting their own anxieties get the better of them because as proven by these heartwarming moments during the MCO above, we’re always there to lend a helping hand, no matter how big or small the gesture may be. #KitaJagaKita indeed.
For other MCO stories, check these out:
- Homeless community in Malaysia to be given jobs
- Delivery rider captures empty landmarks and streets in KL
- Malaysians share stunning photos of iconic sights as skies clear up during MCO
Cover image adapted from: @homegrownfarmsmy and @nishapuvan