COMMENT | Unexpected crises often lead to questions and eventual change.

One watershed event, World War Two, was the catalyst of the last major change in world affairs. Among its many effects, it triggered the independence of many colonised countries, including our beloved Malaysia.

We don’t need nor want a world war to trigger the next change. Unfortunately, human beings often settle into complacency, their comfort zone and an accustomed routine. We follow and accept "what is" without query, out of fear of upsetting the norm or face the risk of being labelled a lunatic.

Radical change is therefore not to be expected without it being triggered by some event. Is the current norm ideal? Is there a need for change? Is the current pandemic a trigger for change?

The "what is" in Malaysia is far from ideal. An ideal society would have been able to cope, handle and subdue any challenge to the norm, including an unexpected pandemic. Covid found us grossly lacking and vulnerable.

Granted, nobody has the requisite experience in handling an epidemic of such magnitude. However, it has become apparent that we suffer a total inadequacy of will, empathy, knowledge, expertise, direction, vision and adequate resources which ought to exist and be available in an ideal administrative infrastructure environment, irrespective of the pandemic.

From its inception, we knew that the virus spreads through droplets and can be contained by the use of masks and physical distancing. Lockdowns in their...