One has to admit that year 2020 have been a very challenging year, not only for the country but for everyone around the world. One main factor that had shaken everyone left, right and centre have been the COVID19 pandemic. Will things getting better in the coming year 2021? Image source: The Journal of mHealth
Blogging Summary in 2020
This blog entered the 2nd year of self-hosted blogging and my overall blogging experience which I started in May 2005 entered the 15th year.
Despite being busy with work and my personal stuff, I managed to clock in about 136 blog posts (including this) for the year 2020 making a total 1,730 blog posts since I started blogging. This blog saw about 9,200 visitors from 111 countries with the largest audiences coming from Malaysia, India and the United States.
Many thanks to all those who are following this blog and have been reading and liking the posts – it only inspires me to look for quality contents and keep on blogging.
My work trip to Cambodia was probably the highlight for the year 2020 as we were also had to contend with travel restrictions due to COVID19. And one point we were indeed got stuck in Cambodia with no way to return to Malaysia as there was a ban of flights from Malaysia and whichever indirect flights that were available were kept postponed due to changes in the country policies and requirements.
I trust I did a better job blogging in 2020 compared to the past years.
At the start, I would have been happy if I had at least a post published a week. However so far, I managed to push for a blog post every 3 days – I guess because it is a self-hosted blog and this year, things have relaxed down (maybe due to the pandemic). Hopefully, this consistency can be maintained in 2021.
Image source: NSTP
Malaysia in Turmoil in 2020
Pakatan Harapan won the general elections in 2018 and took the helm of the Federal and some State Government. It was a day that the country over enjoyed considering how bad the country has been managed the years before.
We had the IMDB financial scandal and billions went missing. The main culprits obviously pocketed most of them. So when Pakatan won, we truly expected a new Malaysia and administration based on rule of law & proper governance.
However, Pakatan Harapan basically shot themselves in the leg and lost the majority support in the Parliament in 2020. They basically screwed things up – firstly by in-fighting within their own political party and then within the Pakatan themselves and then by not honouring their election manifesto. Then they made a huge mistake by allowing opportunist politicians from Barisan Nasional, in particular, UMNO back into Pakatan Harapan.
Dr M tendered his resignation and his own political party engaged themselves with UMNO and PAS to form the next Government. In February 2020, Muhyiddin Yassin who was Dr M’s deputy in Bersatu was appointed as the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia. Ever since then, things have only gotten worse with the fight on corruption had somehow slowed down, the double standard practised in the open and the abuse of taxpayers money have just continued.
Perhaps the only reason there are no greater objections in the open is because of the need to put aside the political differences and greater focus to be given on the fight against the COVID19 pandemic.
Global COVID19 Pandemic 2020
COVID 19 was first detected in China in December 2019 but the actual impact around the world was felt substantially in the year 2020.
As at today, the world has seen an infection of almost 80 million cases with almost 2 million deaths. Malaysia as at to date had a positive infection of almost 100,000 cases with almost 500 deaths. As we open up the economy, we do expect another cycle of massive infections. We cannot afford to let down our guards and forget the SOPs in place. Infographic source: Bernama.
Despite the mess in the country’s politics, we are blessed with two main things – first, we have a very good Director-General in the Minister of Health and second, politicians with enough grey matter to listen and comply with the advice of the DG. The country first saw the imposition of a strict lockdown in March 2020. Back then we only had 790 confirmed cases with only 2 deaths.
Since then we had MCO, EMCO, RMCO and now CMCO in some parts of the country and despite the possibilities of vaccines, it is unlikely that these movement control order will be called off in 2021.
Missed Vision 2020
By the way, if we had been matured enough and had governed the country based merits and the interest of the people; we would have achieved Vision 2020. However, we had screwed up this due to corruption, skewed policies and abuse of the law & taxpayers money. We have not moved much. We remained a nation where we have 1st class infrastructure but 3rd class mentality.
Here’s a crude take of the reasons why we failed to achieve Vision 2020 by one and the only guy who talk directly to the point, Namewee. Yes, the same guy who did not plan to show his latest movie, Babi in Malaysia but some said that it was banned. Namewee has another Youtube video criticising those who called for his film to be banned.
After 63 years of independence and after so much progress in the country, we are still looking things backwards with the excuse of race and religion. For God’s sake, we have sent rovers to planet Mars and had even landed spacecraft on asteroids, we are still fighting with an invisible enemy – a cooked up Boogie Man.
Expectations in 2021
Things are not looking as bad as 2020 as we move into 2021.
The United States will get a new President and one hopes that this means faster recovery of the global economy and areas of conflict. It is also hoped that there will be a greater focus on science and the environment.
The vaccines for COVID19 is also expected to make headway in 2021 with the Malaysian Government already announced the procurement of the vaccines and will start deployment as early as February 2021. However, it is not enough to cover all Malaysians and the millions of foreigners in the country. So do expect some time before you and I get the vaccine. Image source: MOH
On the political front, nothing much one can do to change the Government that was formed from politicians jumping ships instead of the proper general elections. The only hope is that these politicians will see themselves as Malaysians first and not over-zealous champions of race and religion that will only propel the country backwards and not forward.
And finally, we could put the stop to water pollutions that often causes water disruption for days. In the recent incidents where arrests were made and the culprits have been charged in the courts.
Personally, I am looking forward on 3 things in 2021 namely another work-related overseas trip to a new country (hopefully the COVID19 vaccine is out by then), getting another backup driver in the family (yes, finally!!) and a long aside restoration project for a 10 years old car (I have started some in December 2020).
Happy New Year and Happy Holidays