COMMENT | These past few months have been a game-changer for many nations around the world.

Covid-19, as we all know, has brought countries to their knees and Malaysia was not spared. Lockdowns imposed by nations have disrupted global flows of trade and investment, on top of changing the way societies live and interact.

Interestingly, what’s unique about Covid-19 is that it has levelled the playing field for nations, neither wealth nor power can influence how severe a country is infected. Previously, we lived in a global order dominated by larger nations, and smaller nations always had to accommodate to their interests and priorities. But as we know, Covid-19 does not discriminate and affects everyone in its path.

My own personal belief is countries like Malaysia must remain strong and independent in this new global landscape. We have weathered through the storm and shown that with our strong conviction, we have successfully managed to keep infections at bay.

But it is important to remember, we have not won the war against Covid-19, neither have we lost the war yet. We still need the collective strength of each and every one of you to break the chain of transmission.

It’s a different story altogether in the West as millions have been infected and hundreds of thousands have died. But therein lies another problem – widescale protests and riots are extremely worrying, especially when they are combined with racial discrimination and prejudice.

Unfortunately, the politics of hate and divide seems to be the order of the day, and we are not immune from this...