COMMENT | Where are we now?

COMMENT | There is a pandemic raging around the world with more than four million cases globally and about 276,000 deaths.

Almost all the major economies of the world are in varying degrees of lock-down. All economies are expected to contract. The US reports 33 million unemployed. No vaccine or cure is in sight.

Governments now struggle to lift the lock-down as a continued lockdown is not an option with so many needing financial aid and food. Businesses shed workers with many facing permanent closure. No government has a clear idea of how they will protect their people and resume business activity at the same time. All now accept some collateral damage as the lockdown is lifted.

In Malaysia, a hastily assembled government struggles to manage the crisis. To be fair Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin appears to have done a reasonable job thus far. He is aided by a director-general of Health who has done a brilliant job and a health service that is probably one of the best in the region. All in all, the health service, police, armed forces, the Ministry of Finance and the central bank have done a creditable job.

The spirit of volunteerism and charity has been heart-warming. Thousands of volunteers stepped up with donations, gifts and their time to feed as many families as they could and to also provide frontliners with protective clothing and masks.

They came from all races and all religious groups. The work of PSM (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) was exemplary. They stood by the people even though they did not have a single person in parliament. All politicians should learn from them.

But how are things on the political front?

Bersatu leads that coalition with Muhyiddin as prime minister and with members of Bersatu dominating the cabinet, but Umno and PAS are strong members of that coalition. The two parties are pushing for a bigger role in the government...