الأخبار

By Dzulkifli Abdul Razak - - 

THE nation has undergone almost two months of varying degrees of mobility restriction.

The partial lockdown is a unique experience that many will find it difficult to forget. Among them are university students, who were caught in a limbo when they were forced to stay on campus quite unexpectedly.

Thousands had to be quarantined for an initial period of 14 days, which was extended twice. New practices were introduced to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

Almost overnight, standard operating procedures and structures came into being to cope with the changing demands, ranging from delivery of food and other essentials, to keeping the skeletal ecosystem stable and motivating.

Otherwise, boredom is quick to set in, followed by other potentially life-threatening tendencies as a consequence of prolonged self-isolation. This added to an already confusing situation, as no one had the "right" experience to advise on what is best.

Tensions began to rise, fuelling fear and anxiety.

Towards the end of phase two of the Movement Control Order (MCO), these tendencies were sounding an alarm that could no longer be ignored. Staying home and working from home are no longer as simple as they are made to be.

If that sounded grim, go back to nearly 51 years ago this week, specifically, May 13, 1969.

This was the moment in the nation's history when a curfew had to be imposed to break the chain of violence that disrupted the peace and harmony among Malaysians, mainly in selected urban locations.

The writer was in his late teens then, but the experience that unfolded in front of his eyes had stayed with him until today.

It provided a very important lesson and reminder as to what responsible citizenry means in practice. Compared with the  current experience, it is perhaps a mere glimpse of what May 13, 1969, represented — a total lockdown.

Democracy was suspended to give way to the National Operation Council, or Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran), with an emphasis on the nation's security and safety, not related to health as the cause.

No bacteria or virus was identified. The military was more visible in asserting control almost everywhere.

The sight of military trucks transporting personnel from place to place, at times late into the night for days on end, was common.

As the nation went into a state of national emergency, or darurat, resulting in the suspension of Parliament, Mageran acted as the caretaker government from 1969 to 1971.

As the writer was then staying a stone's throw away from the district police station, he could not miss the flurry of activity.

From time to time, ambulances were seen rushing in and out. Once in a while, tow trucks would pull in wrecks or burned vehicles into the police station, presumably as a result of violence that had taken place.

Otherwise, other experiences were rather similar, but the execution was more rigid, restrictive and uncompromising.

Fake news, though it was known as that then, was prevalent, but sporadic in the absence of social media.

The restoration of law and order was gradually achieved although the curfew continued in some red areas, while it was scaled back for others.

By February 1971, parliamentary rule had been reinstated. Peace was eventually restored.

However, allegedly, the proclamation of emergency and the act enacted (Emergency Ordinance 1969) were not revoked.

That said, from a casual observer's standpoint, most of the post-May 1969 generation seemed to have a low tolerance to MCO.

Many found it intolerable. As a generation brought up with greater flexibility and freedom in their life as well as choices, the reaction is perhaps understandable. Meaning to say that the Mageran-style of control, which was far more draconian, would have had a more negative impact on them. And it lasted for a longer period too — 18 months.

Simply put, as citizens of this beloved country, do not take for  granted anything that can disrupt its wellbeing.

Social solidarity, not distancing, must, therefore, be the main agenda to safeguard the country's future. There can be no other way than #kitajagakita, with or without Covid-19.

The writer, an NST columnist for more than 20 years, is the International Islamic University Malaysia rector

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2020/05/591451/1969-curfew-was-tougher