H1N1 kiasu-ism
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When H1N1 first hit our shores, the authorities had the balls to declare that Malaysia would be considered free of the virus if there were no new cases in the next 3 days and that’s what they did. Declaring in our well known Malaysia Boleh pride that we were free of H1N1. But when the cases kept coming in, they said all the cases were import cases, from people coming into Malaysia. Malaysia was still safe as there were no local cases.
I don’t know about you but when Korea (or was it Japan?) first reported case of H1N1, I had already expected Malaysia will be affected. And when Australia and NZ announced H1N1 cases, I definitely knew it was just a matter of time. If countries such as Amelika, Japan, Australia dan lain-lain lagi are finding it hard to contain the outbreak, what makes you think we can?
I’m not looking down on the people who are from the healthcare industry, who are directly involved, the frontliners. H1N1 is hard to detect as you don’t show symptoms until the third day of infection. So you could be infected during the flight and airport checks would show no signs. You go home, hug your children, give them free kisses and make love to your wife. Then you go yumcha with your frens. The next day you go to work and hug your secretary. Then you give hi-fives all round to your colleagues. How many did you come in contact with? :P
I’ve heard rumours (they are rumours unless someone can prove otherwise) of the frontliners falling asleep behind counters, slacking in their duties and about corruption in the checks. We should really give these people some credit and recognition for what they are trying to do. I would like to think people in healthcare as less incline to be corrupt then people in enforcement. These people in healthcare are risking infection on a daily basis while carrying out these checks. So let’s cut them some slack.
Todate Malaysia has 58 confirmed cases. A handful of those are local transmissions. What’s worrying is that schools now have confirmed cases. It started with the closure of Jln Davidson, followed by the closure of Assunta. At the end of today, classes in four more schools has been ordered to close. Seri Cempaka, Sek9 Shah Alam, Wangsa Maju and Damansara Utama.
Now comes the point of this post. Kiasu-ism.
Some parents instead of worrying about their children getting infected, they’re worried that their children will miss one week of school. So much so that the deputy_principal has to ‘assure’ parents that their children’s education will not be interrupted and they would be able to catch up. She indicated not all parents are ‘cooperative’. Kakaka… we get the message.
I experienced first hand the kiasu-ism from one mother whose son is in one of the above schools. I’m supposed to meet her later this week (remember the charity thingy?) but she called today to cancel. She told me her son is in the class that was closed.
I asked her if she’s concerned about H1N1 now that there’s a confirmed case in her son’s school. She starts ranting that she’s more concerned that her son is going to be missing his lessons while the rest of the students are not. The school is not going to be closed, just that class. She feels this is really unfair. She says nowadays students can’t afford to miss one week of class and to make matters worst she can’t send her son to tuition classes as well. "I’m really afraid he’s going to fall behind the other students now." She then blames the parents who allowed the infected student to go to school, putting everyone else at risk.
It amazes me that in that 5 minute or so rant, the main focus was about her son missing his class and not on the possibility of him getting infected with the virus.
And that my frens, is how kiasu we’ve become.
wtf! crazy arh this woman??!
Reply : Unfortunately there are many like her. U wait until ur dotter starts schooling. U’ll see it in the other parents.
Comment by jjmm — 23 June 2009 @ 1:16 am
aaah… come russia la. Russia and china so far not affected by H1N1.
Since the outbreak in mexico, this 2 ex-communist country had been very strict.
And I ate pork today too! lol.
Reply : I am very surprised that China dun have a single case, considering many tourist come & go. U sure they are not covering it up ah? :P
Update: China got H1N1 lar! 87 cases so far. Russia also got lar. Apa la lu.
Comment by littlepolaris — 23 June 2009 @ 9:35 am
u got wear mask o not ?? while driving ?? LOL !!
Reply : Got.
Comment by janicepa — 23 June 2009 @ 4:15 pm
i called my boss saying i am not coming in for work because i scared ofis got H1N1 and i got the longest chinese bad words ever in history..
kidding :)
Reply : Next time say u not feeling well, like got flu flu tei likedat. Sure ur boss gip u 7 days leave.
Comment by sk — 23 June 2009 @ 4:44 pm
yalah!! how can miss school wan?????? school is important!!! must get all 20A’ss, that’s why it’s important to go to school everyday!!! charm lor… now her son is gonna fail his exams…
Reply : Go school only not enuff. Dun forget abt tuition classes.
Comment by angeles — 23 June 2009 @ 11:39 pm
Of course class more important la. Miss one week of class u know? Later exam time result is bad cannot enter the top class next year!!
The flu ar….aiya, where got so lucky kena one? I buy Toto, Magnum and Kuda 3 times in a week also never kena the number also :p
Reply : Better beat ur own mouth orh… Dun simply say orh… if not afterwards kena number orh…. :P :P
Comment by leyaw — 23 June 2009 @ 11:52 pm
That woman chee sin… aiyo miss one week or two weeks of class won’t die lar. I pity the son. Unbelievable how misplaced her priorities are.
Reply : Unfortunately there are many parents like her.
Comment by WMD — 24 June 2009 @ 1:13 am
Wah, miss school for one whole week? Cannot lah like that. Later need to do one week of ‘homework’ where got time to play PS3… Cannot cannot, die die also must go school
Reply : Speaking of… I so long never play PS3 oledi. Gathering dust.
Comment by gnes — 24 June 2009 @ 11:13 am
what the…???? i had no idea how kiasu parents of today have become!!
speaking of screenings at airports etc…my parents went to China for a holiday last month. no checks/screenings what so ever when they touched down in msia. but when they arrived in china, they had officials go up to the plane to scan every passenger.
also, a colleagues son in indonesia (studying there) had fever and was admitted to the hospital for suspected dengue. he insisted on coming back to msia for treatment. so the hospital in indonesia agreed. when he flew back to msia - no screening at all. and this was when he was sick with fever!
some of my friends in KL are using this hospital grade hand sanitizer (can buy from caring pharmacy). perhaps you could check it out too. :)
Reply : Wow… dat is bad. China is very very strict after what happened with one guy who was infected. He just came back from one of the high risk countries (I think it was US) and started having sore throat and fever after a few days but he still went out to socialize. Dat guy is the main reason why china’s cases jumped from 15 to 84 in 3 days. China is contemplating throwing him in jail.
Some of my clients, the bigger companies, have passed out the strip thingy that u stick on ur forehead to detect for fever to all their employees. They are ‘encouraged’ to check themselves every 3 hours. These companies cannot afford to be quarantined for a week.
Comment by lingzie — 24 June 2009 @ 5:41 pm
kennysia’s ahbu said, ah hee nee is dangerous… oledi sampai kuching.. muahahaha… that really cracked me up! :p
Reply : I find it amusing that people only start to worry when it reaches their town. Take JB. 1 confirmed case then only parents sapu all the face masks within 8 hours. :P U mean b4 this they never tot of buying the mask for their kids?? Even tho singapore has over 200 cases? Kakakaka. MALAISIA BOLEH!!!!
Comment by angeles — 24 June 2009 @ 7:10 pm
well its not just parents of kids, there are alot of selfish people out there too.. like how i kena at office, cos my mom is coming back from US. some idiots cursed my mom, and me to go and die far far away.. crazy and out of hand those buggers!
Reply : Dats just so stupid!
Comment by evelyn — 2 July 2009 @ 3:12 pm
Aiyah! This is boleh land lah! For chinese lang education very very imp, health no so…..
BTW have u wear mask yet? As for me……….. I very kaisee wan! But hopefully smoker like me will not be infected :)
Reply : I nochet wear mask but I try to be careful.
Comment by Horny Ang Moh — 10 July 2009 @ 8:15 pm