Consider the sounds of silence in a Covid-ravaged nation

 

From Dr Venugopal Balchand

The autobiography of a fictional African leader in the 2005 movie “The Interpreter”, meant to be a clarion call for democracy in a war-torn nation, contains a quotation that leaves us something to think about in Covid-ravaged Malaysia.

“The gunfire around us makes it hard to hear. But the human voice is different from other sounds. It can be heard over noises that bury everything else. Even when it is not shouting. Even when it is just a whisper. Even the lowest whisper can be heard over armies when it is telling the truth,” says the quotation.

Consider the collective gasp of millions of Malaysians at the scary daily number of Covid patients; the soulful cries of a newly widowed housewife; the shrieking high-pitched sirens of speeding ambulances; the alternating tones of a cardiac defibrillator; the undignified sobs of grown men who have lost their wives; the loud wheeze of elderly parents who need to bury their child; the metallic clang of falling currency.

Consider the nasty rumbles of clashing egos. And most importantly the stunning silence of apathy and cluelessness – thundering daily reminders of Covid gunfire in a beleaguered, confused and helpless nation in the eye of the biggest storm she has ever faced.

And no human voice. Not even a whisper.

The way we are managing the pandemic, if this was a major surgical endeavor, the patient would have died a thousand deaths. But who the hell cares! After the first death you are dead anyway! No big deal.

This is not the Venu I know. The relaxed, laid back, party-loving doctor with a library of dirty jokes! War changes people. That same Venu took to writing as therapy for his depressed state of mind. And suddenly he was churning out sob stories. Stories that a lot of people read but those who mattered did not care about or maybe did not understand.

I am weary. Tired. No more Covid stories. The truth is there for everyone to see. Maybe the stench of rotting corpses will energise the nation.

The power of hunger, unemployment, poverty and ill health may finally open our eyes to the success stories of nations that have tackled this very same virus. We started very well and a combination of indecision and naivety led to us successfully snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

It is not the fault of the man on the street. They were never told in clear, concise and firm language what they were expected to know and do. No loud voices of authority. No whispers of reassurance or the truth.

I am going to stop now. I pray they understand my silence as it looks like they certainly did not understand my words, Meanwhile to cheer me up, I will just continue singing a love song “Whispers in the morning, Lovers sleeping tight …”

Dr Venugopal Balchand is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.