Petaling Jaya, Malaysia:
When Malaysian mother Hadijah Neamat was struggling to cope through the coronavirus lockdown, she hung a scrap of white cloth outdoors her window in a plea for assistance.
The #benderaputih (white flag) campaign has gained momentum on social media in a bid to encourage people today to assistance other folks in distress through a prolonged lockdown in Malaysia.
Indeed, shortly immediately after Hadijah, 73, place up the flag a neighbour came by to supply her meals and other products.
“I thought it would be outsiders who would come to help, like wealthy people or ministers or important people,” mentioned Hadijah, who lives in a densely populated district of Petaling Jaya in Selangor state close to the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
“But they said ‘We are neighbours. If someone puts up a white flag, of course we need to be concerned’,” she added, saying she was shocked by the act of generosity on her doorstep.
Hadijah’s husband, Mohd Rusni Kahman, 59, has a disability and has not been capable to work due to the fact losing his job last year.
“Sometimes I just stare into space… If I don’t have work, what will I do? I can’t just rely on my son,” he mentioned.
Malaysia has reported more than 785,000 situations of COVID-19, the third-highest tally in Southeast Asia, and has been in lockdown due to the fact June 1.
The pandemic has place a specific strain on low-revenue households, with reports of lots of forced to ration meals.
In response to the white flag campaign, neighbours, organizations, politicians and even celebrities have stepped in to donate.
“It takes a lot of courage (to display the white flag)… Because it’s actually telling everyone that you… can’t manage,” lawmaker Maria Chin Abdullah told Reuters.
“But I think I take it positively – it’s something that this country actually needs because we can’t cover everybody. So it’s good that… you indicate that you need help and we’ll come to you,” she mentioned.
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