It’s all study no play for UMS students during MCO
By Safrah Mat Salleh
KOTA KINABALU: Amid the first day of Eid celebration and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), several students have to stay put in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
One of them is camera-shy, nicknamed Asilah, who has to stay in UMS since MCO phase 1.
Asilah is currently doing research for her PhD at the Borneo Marine Research Institute.
She said that being unable to celebrate Eid this year with her family in Muar, Johor saddens her. However, she felt it is a part of her responsibility since her parents aged more than 60, high risk for Covid-19 infection.
Nevertheless, she filled her first day of Eid with sunnah practices such as Eid shower and then, she did Eid Salah by herself and made video calls with her family and friends.
“This year’s Eid is definitely rare because of MCO but it is still enjoyable,” she said.
Throughout her stay in UMS, she said it was satisfying and felt thankful to UMS and the state government.
She explained that they received cash aid from the state government and dry food from UMS. The students also received takeaway and staff helped students to buy groceries.
In terms of daily activities during CMCO, Asilah said there was not much difference.
She explained that interaction between her and supervisor continued as well as her classes using webinar through various applications such as Google meet and Zoom.
“Hope that Malaysians will continuously fight against Covid-19 and economic problems although we practise different faith, from different racial backgrounds and political preferences.
“Today’s actions are for the benefits of future generations. Therefore, work and study hard, followed the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedures, be grateful and adapt to whatever situation we are in now. Malaysia will be glorified,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sajeenuth Srithongthum or also known as Laila, from Pattani, Thailand, a Master’ s degree student in Aquaculture shared the same situation as Asilah.
She wanted to go back for Eid, but she heard from her friends that the Kuala Lumpur International Airport is yet to open, so she chose to finish her work and stay safe in UMS rather than staying somewhere else and get infected.
On the first day of Eid, she said there was nothing special and just made video calls with her family back home.
So I chose to finish my work and be safe here better than staying out somewhere else and got infected.
“Before the Covid-19 outbreak, everything was good but after this happened everything is kinda tough for me because it feels like (actions) being restricted. We cannot do anything or go anywhere.
“Even my result for Covid19 tested negative, which means I am not infected, but I still cannot go and visit my guardian family while other students can go back to their hometown.
“This is my last semester, so I hope my work will finish before the end of July and if that time there is no more MCO, then I will go back (home) immediately,” she said.
For the aid and welfare of students throughout MCO, she said it was not bad and for now she continued to do her thesis, listened to her favourite songs to motivate herself and do some cooking with her stock of foods.
Another student who is doing her Master’s degree in Aquaculture, namely Mok Wai Yee, said she felt bored with staying in UMS during this MCO period.
She said she could not even do her favourite activity, hiking or jogging and her daily activities were just writing thesis and reading journals.
“For those students who are not going back home, it is because they have animals (such as fish or shrimps) that need to be taken care of and some of their hometown is a red zone.
“As for food, we can cook and ask help from the laboratory assistant to buy us groceries.
“During MCO 1, we still can order food delivery services. So no problem about food.
“And also our student affairs give us some aid of dry foods in each phase of the MCO.
“I feel grateful for the aid. We received food and financial aid. So we are not that suffering during MCO.
“Nevertheless, I will go back home tomorrow (Thursday) to my hometown in Perak.” She said.