Looking forward to better days ahead

 

Just when we thought we’re coming out of the woods, the Russians have to throw a spanner in the works.

The cautious optimism induced by the reopening of borders and easing of Covid-19 restrictions have been negated by fears of the long-term economic impact of the conflict in the Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin couldn’t have chosen a worse time to show the West he meant business when he warned them against massing their arsenal at his doorstep.

While the Russian advance seems to have been stalled, the threat of someone pushing the button to unleash a firestorm that could destroy more than half the world in a week remains very real. Well… at least that’s how some experts feel.

Who knows we could wake up next Saturday morning to find Europe, much of the North American continent and half of Asia flattened.

What Russia could gain from such an outcome, only Putin knows.

Of course, there’s no harm keeping our hopes up, even if all the chips are already down.

On April 1, the country entered the transition phase from pandemic to endemic.

It’s not as if the infection rate has taken a plunge. Thousands continue to fall prey to the coronavirus every day. But we have decided that rather than fear it, we should learn to live with it.

Our borders have reopened to foreign visitors. Resorts are laying the welcome mat for leisure travellers.

Every service provider – from organisers of pleasure boat trips to fine dining restaurants – are back in business.

Getting the tourist dollar is a good way to give the economy the boost it needs.

With the reopening of internal borders months ago, Malaysians have been taking the chance to visit family and friends out of state.

The shift to an endemic state is likely to see more of them on the road. Brace yourself for clogged highways during public holidays and long weekends.

Of course, some restrictions remain. The mask is still a necessary accessory, and keeping your distance from others should become second nature to us now.

It’s hard to tell if life will return to pre-Covid-19 conditions.

We have yet to defeat the enemy that has turned our lives upside down. Given what we know now, we may never wipe them out.

But we will live. We will drive to Penang for the weekend, or fly to London for Christmas.

We will eat out as often as we like, go to the cinema, join our friends and officemates for Happy Hours.

And for that, we can say “cheers” to our resilience. - FMT

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