Can you knock before coming in!?
Mom can you knock before coming in!? Maya, get out of my room!
The first week of the pandemic started with me whining about how I had no privacy. Living in a family of 5 siblings, a super hardworking mom and a strict dad, you can never expect secrecy nor sanctuary.
Knowing that the MCO is being extended due to the outbreak of coronavirus, I put on new locks on my door to stop imposters from invading my seclusion. That night, lights went off, the air conditioner stopped. Damn Malaysia’s electrical lines. What else could go wrong? Phone battery on 0%. Expected.
‘Join us in true or dare akka’, a soft voice echoed in the hallway. Do I have a choice? Sat in a circle, spun the bottle, and waited for my turn. My turn came, chose true, ‘Do I like cats or dogs?’, asked my brother. With full confidence, I answered, ‘DOG!’. He smirked and said, ‘Cats are my favourite akka’.
That hit me hard. Born and raised together but never knew he liked cats. I always assumed he was allergic to them. The electricity came back, so did my realisation of being an ignorant akka.
Pulling out the extra lock, I lead myself into familyhood. Becoming a sister, and a daughter by inclination.
Jhanani, 21, Klang
How are you dealing with quarantine?
WHAT’S IT LIKE WHERE YOU ARE? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
RUMIT is putting together a digital scrapbook depicting the experiences of Malaysians throughout the MCO period, and what they’ve been doing to cope with self-isolation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you have a story to share, let us know and you could be featured as part of #KeranaCorona.
Submissions have been lightly edited for formatting and grammar.
For COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, resources and information on symptoms and risks, visit the Malaysian Ministry of Health portal or the WHO website. Follow @NewsBFM for the latest developments.
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