A period of introspection amid COVID-19

With the virus now declared a global pandemic, it is as though we are forced us to slow down and reflect on what really matters.

By Khalil Adis

Sultan Mosque in Kampung Glam. All mosques across Singapore will remain closed till March 26. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

I woke up today feeling like the universe had pressed a reset button forcing the entire world to slow down.

This came amid the rising number of COVID-19 infections outside Singapore.

It all started from a nightmare I had over the weekend where I had dodged several black coloured snakes.

I think they were meant to symbolise the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, next door, I could hear my mother coughing loudly the entire night.

I wondered if she had caught the virus and if so, will she survive? 

I had read that the elderly are particularly susceptible to the virus and the fatality rate is high.

I also wondered if I had enough resources as a caregiver should she fall ill.

It’s funny how it is usually the unmarried child who ends up taking care of their parents while their married siblings are noticeably absent.

Then, it got me thinking if I had saved enough for my retirement and what will happen to me upon death. 

In introspective mode

The interior of the majestic mosque before it was ordered close. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

As morbid as it may seem, COVID-19 had forced me into a period of introspection.

I found myself asking questions I never did.

For a while, I was going through life on an autopilot mode, especially in this age of social media where everything seemed so fast-paced.

As a result, I would often write articles in listicle format as readers nowadays want bite-sized news as opposed to analytical pieces.

It’s a recurring problem fellow journalists had also complained about as they are increasingly being replaced by content marketers for ‘click-bait contents’. 

It felt as though we were not making an emotional connection with our readers.

Yet, amid COVID-19, here I am writing on my blog as to how I would usually write in my journal entries.

A global pandemic

A lone worker who appeared to be in deep thoughts along Orchard Road. Photo: Khalil Adis Consuitancy.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.

Everything now appears to have ground to a screeching halt with the restricted movement order that kicked in on Wednesday in Malaysia and containment efforts within Singapore.

The Singapore government on Sunday announced a new 14-day stay-home notice that will take effect from 11.59 pm on March 16 for all travellers with a recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

This comes as Singapore and Malaysia are reporting a daily spike in new infections.

Meanwhile, for the first time in Singapore’s history, Friday’s prayers were cancelled islandwide amid new clusters of infections that were linked to the Sri Petaling mosque outbreak last week.

It will continue to be closed till March 26.

It’s a strange feeling passing by mosques that remained closed.

All these new measures will definitely have an impact on the economy and especially for small businesses.

In the property market, events are now either being postponed or cancelled.

My developer clients are now working from home.

This will not bode well for Singapore and Malaysia as both countries are facing a supply glut in residential properties.

It is as though the entire world is forced to slow down and connect with each other on a humane level.

Moving forward

Time appeared to have stood still on Orchard Road. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

My friends and relatives had previously admonished me for writing about what I go through saying it may not be good for business.

Somehow, during a time of crisis, sharing about our personal struggles seemed relevant as they make us more relatable as a human being.

Do I worry about business amid COVID-19? Yes, of course.

On a side note, as much as I would like to launch my book, this is very much dependent on getting sponsors on board.

With the lull property market and developers cutting back on their marketing budget, it does appear challenging.

It also does not help that Malaysian developers generally prefer to meet in person and do not respond well over e-mail.

However, I now see it as a blessing amid what the world is going through at the moment - it is not a good time.

Nevertheless, I do hope the book will see the light of day as it contains nuggets of useful information on the various train lines in Malaysia since I started researching about them in 2008.

I wished a similar property guide book was written in Singapore when the city-state started building its MRT system in the 1980s.

In the meantime, let us stay healthy, remain calm and vigilant during this difficult period.