It’s evident that ever since the MCO took place, many businesses, big and small, have suffered huge losses. We’ve seen some of our friends and family members get retrenched, some businesses close down, and the list goes on. 2020 has definitely been a difficult year in many different ways but, as the saying goes, “every cloud has a silver lining”.
And recently, this “silver lining” has been appearing in the form of Malaysians citizens. Yes, that’s you and me! Unbeknownst to many, there are many little things we can or have been doing to #SapotLokal and help the nation get back on her feet. Here are just some examples of simple yet inspiring things Malaysians have been doing (or can start doing) to show our country some love:
1. Travelling interstate for holidays
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Some of us finally made plans to visit that island/town/city in Malaysia that we’ve never been to before and it was one of the best trips yet!
Malaysia is home to delicious food, beautiful islands as well as incredible flora and fauna after all. What’s not to love? Our tropical weather and sunny skies also make it perfect for sunbathing and aesthetic holiday OOTD photos! Every state in Malaysia is also known for their respective cuisines and delicious dishes too like Penang’s char kuay teow, Ipoh’s kai si hor fun, or laksam from Kelantan!
That’s also why thousands of people flock to our country especially during the winter seasons to enjoy a tropical getaway and yummy food.
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2. Donating our own face masks & sanitisers to the less fortunate
Ever since the MCO was implemented, wearing masks and carrying hand sanitisers around has been a necessity for Malaysians. Unfortunately, while most of us are able to afford these items, many aren’t, but thankfully, there have been many selfless individuals and organisations who’ve been playing their part to provide those with little or no income with free masks and sanitisers!
In fact, we’ve seen many such examples including that time when a Malaysian with Cerebral Palsy who sells face masks offered to help those who couldn’t afford it, or when a PDRM officer helped put on a mask for an elderly woman who didn’t have one, or that campaign that was started to provide delivery riders and the underprivileged with free masks. We could go on, but you get the point!
3. Supporting mamaks and the uncles and aunties at our favourite local coffee shops
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Show of hands, how many of you found out that some of your favourite food stalls had to shut down for good because of MCO and the lack of business coming in? This obviously comes as sad news because the stall owners not only lost their source of income but we’re also no longer able to enjoy the food they make.
That’s why so many Malaysians have been flocking to local eateries recently (while following SOP’s, of course), to support the local F&B industry and indulge in some much-needed Malaysian food. After all, nothing beats eating freshly made Roti Canai in a mamak stall, right?
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4. Tipping our delivery riders and/or buying them food!
Besides our dedicated doctors and nurses who’ve been working around the clock for us, postmen and delivery riders have also been risking a lot to deliver parcels and food right to our doorsteps during this period. It’s for this reason that many Malaysians have been generously tipping their riders and even offering them food!
Remember when one Malaysian offered her rider a RM50 duit raya tip, or that time a rider was given a RM100 tip for making a delivery in the rain? There was also once a customer asked her rider to keep the food she ordered and have it as his buka puasa meal! Ugh, we’re not crying, you are.
5. Promoting local shops/brands on social media by using the ‘stay home’ or ‘support small business’ stickers
Social media is easily the best place to promote a product. It’s free and word spreads super fast! That’s why you have social media influencers today. Platforms like Instagram has also provided those ‘stay home‘ and ‘support small business‘ stickers making it super simple to promote a place or brand.
Being Malaysians who love posting stories of our food, we’ve also unintentionally (or intentionally) helped create awareness and encouraged our followers to try these places out.
6. Purchasing locally-made products
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Whether it’s those gorgeous batik face masks or locally-made produce like Maggi Kari instant noodles from the kedai runcit, every little locally produced item you’ve bought has helped Malaysians and Malaysia as a whole! Good job, guys! You’re not just helping these individuals make a living but you’re also contributing to the economy! So let’s keep doing our part to #SapotLokal and get Malaysia back on her feet!
Just make sure you make it a point to buy local produce from your local grocers/convenience stores like those small kedai runcits or those stores in petrol stations like the Kedai Mesra. Ultimately, we at WORLD OF BUZZ want to encourage Malaysians everywhere to buy local, drive local, fuel up local! #LoveLocal
Let us know in the comments section if you’ve done any of the things mentioned above!
Also read: 5 Inspiring Students Return To Malaysia During MCO & Started Baking To Help This NGO In Need
