MUKAH: The new normal amid Covid-19 pandemic is here to stay as long as no definite cure for the deadly disease has not been found yet.
Like it or not, the prevailing standard operating procedures (SOPs) being enforced during the ongoing conditional movement control order (CMCO) due to Covid-19 pandemic, have to be followed and respected.
The risk posed by the invisible and deadly threat from the infection is more than real as it had affected some three million people worldwide irrespective of race and colour.
People here, like anywhere else in Malaysia are still very cautious of the disease’s threat and have to adapt to the new normal and adhere to the SOP.
Pharmacy owner Arkin Kong, 38, admitted that the CMCO due to Covid-19 pandemic had brought about a new normal in the life of people here and anywhere else in Malaysia.
“Yes, I have to adapt to the new normal and follow the SOP because there is no cure for Covid-19 so far,” he told New Sarawak Tribune today.
He hoped that the public would adhere to the SOP too for the benefit of people at large.
On e-commerce, Kong however, said that being involved in essential service like pharmacy, transaction could not be conducted online presently as it also involved advice and counselling to the customers.
Nevertheless, he said e-commerce is still important because it could help business in many ways in the long run.
To a question on the government’s effort to accelerate digitalising the state, he lauded the move while suggesting that more awareness efforts need to be done to get people familiar with the new technology.
For stationery shop owner, Tang Tiing Ping in his 30s, the new normal is a way of life now and people have to adapt to it.
“I have to be familiar with the new normal and adapt to it too, including adhering to the SOP, he said.
To a question, the Dalat and Mukah District Council councillor said e-commerce had slowly been making its presence felt here.
Tang added that QR Pay and Sarawak Pay, which he accepted as an electronic medium of payment from customers, was part of e-commerce now and he had already adapted to it.
He also revealed that in order to stay abreast with modern technology, he had already applied for e-wallet, Boost and now waiting for approval.
On the state government’s efforts in accelerating digitalisation, he welcomes the move while describing it as a way forward to develop the economy and facilitate business transactions.
