The Covid-19
pandemic has brought a lot of misery to Malaysians; it has disrupted and
taken lives. Since the eruption of the pandemic, the government has taken
measures to control the situation. However, the control measures have also
generated a chain of other challenges that affect many aspects of
Malaysians’ livelihood. Almost all components of the social structure have
been affected, and the social equilibrium enjoyed by Malaysians before the
pandemic has been disturbed. Malaysians are undergoing a difficult period
that should be recorded in the history of Malaysia as the most gruelling
period since the formation of Malaysia that is caused by a disease.
With the aim
to provide a platform for researchers to discuss and examine the development
of Covid-19, the government’s management of the crisis, and the impact of
the pandemic on Malaysian society, the webinar titled “COVID-19 Pandemic in
Malaysia: Development, Management and Implications”, organised by
UTAR
Tun
Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC), was held on 12
October 2021 via Zoom.
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Prof Faidz
giving his opening speech
UTAR Vice
President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman
officiated the webinar and launched the digital timeline for “Covid-19
Pandemic in Malaysia: Development, Management, and Implications”. In his
opening speech, he said, “The Covid-19 pandemic is still unravelling,
leaving a huge impact on universities across the globe. Against this
backdrop, universities need to adopt a new approach to help students and the
public gain vital local and international perspectives and experiences on
this pandemic. As a quick fix, the digitalisation of information can help
overcome the challenges during such pandemic crisis.”
He added, “The
objectives of this webinar today are two-fold. First, it gives an insight
into the Covid-19 pandemic from different perspectives such as social,
education, health, economics and politics. Second, it provides exposure to
an alternative and an innovative way of virtual learning. This pandemic has
created life-changing experiences globally and has shown the importance of
digital technology for communication. Therefore, the Tun Tan Cheng Lock
Centre of Social and Policy Studies developed the Interactive Digital
Timeline for Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia where everyone will be able to
access it and connect digitally.”
The webinar
saw presenters presenting their respective topics on the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was moderated by Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) Department of
Journalism lecturer Chiok Phaik Fern.
Session one
consisted of presentations from TCLC Chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun
and Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) Department of Multimedia Design &
Animation lecturer Liong Mei Yin, FCI Department of Multimedia Design &
Animation lecturer Lee Kin Keong presented on “Developing an Interactive
Digital Timeline for Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia”; FCI Department of Mass
Communication lecturer Kenneth Lee Tze Wui presented on “An Analysis of the
Social Impact of the Covid-19 on the Malaysian Society”; FAS Department of
Public Relations lecturer Eng May Chuen presented on “An Overview of
Malaysia Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)”.
UTAR academics
presenting their research during session one
Session two
then continued with the presentations from Liong who presented on “The
Progress and Development of Data Collection of ‘Economic Measures & Impact”
For the Digital Archive During Malaysia Covid Pandemic”; TCLC Assistant
Manager Lee Jenn Yuan who presented on “Reviews on the Implementation of
Malaysian Government’s measures and impact on SMEs, Employment Rate on the
Year 2020” and lastly, undergraduate student Tang Chian Huey who presented
on “Covid-19 and Malaysia Politics: A framing analysis of online
newspapers”.
From left: Liong and Lee presenting their research during session two
Lastly,
session three saw presentations from Centre for Foundation Studies of Sungai
Long Campus Department of Science and Engineering lecturer Teen Soh Hong who
presented on “The Impact of MOE Policies on Primary and Secondary Schools
Teachers During the Covid-19 Pandemic” and FCI Department of Mass
Communication lecturer Dr Soon Thean Bee who presented on “The Rationality
of Muhyiddin's political decision-making while combating the Covid-19
pandemic in Malaysia in the year 2020”.
The sessions
were then followed by a Q&A session.
Dr Soon
discussing her research during session three
The curtains were finally drawn after the closing remark by Dr Chin. Dr Chin expressed his gratitude to all the presenters and participants for their support and participation.
Dr Chin urging
participants to view and share the Covid-19 Digital Timeline Malaysia
He concluded,
“Everybody needs to play their parts in ensuring that we will overcome the
pandemic, therefore we need an organised overview with sufficient
information deck into the development of diseases and how it infected the
society. Serving as both a digital timeline and an archive, the Covid-19
Digital Timeline Malaysia captures happenings and events in six different
areas: Outbreak and Health Measures; MCO, SOPs and National Recovery Plan;
Economy: Measures and Impacts; Politics: Measures and Impacts; Education:
Measures and Impacts; and Socio-Emotional Well-Being. You may view the
timeline at
http://tclc.resources.utar.edu.my/Digital-Timeline.php and help us share
this timeline to your own network. I hope through the sharing, we may
somehow assist the Malaysians to know more about the Covid-19, the
development of the Covid-19 and its impact on our country. Eventually, the
digital timeline will also help us create better ideas to live with the
Covid-19.”
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