To say the people are angry is an understatement.

Most people, that is. There are other words which can be used naturally, like incensed, furious, enraged, offended, impassioned, irate, resentful. The list goes on. But let’s stick to “angry” to keep it simple, so to speak.

People are angry at the government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis or pandemic, if you like.

We don’t need a detailed survey to tell us that. Just take a look at the social media platforms. That’s where most of the anger is being poured out.

Surely the government knows this. But if they are not too worried, they better have a rethink and take a relook.

The people who are angry include the Malays, the working class Malay at that.

It’s not that the opinion rather anger of the non-Malays do not matter. It’s just that the Malay working class (together with those in the rural areas) are the very same people the government is banking on for support.

And so far a substantial number of them have been very accommodating and tolerant towards the Perikatan Nasional government, never mind the back door used to come to power.

Many of them see the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin administration as a Malay-Muslim one. After all, the administration is overwhelmingly Malay. That made many a Malay happy, I would say. And the government itself is happy to be called Malay-Muslim government.

Now things are turning sour. No, it’s not because the Malays are angry for not being able to balik kampung for Hari Raya due to the nationwide MCO announced by Muhyiddin.

Well, not per se anyway. Of course, they are made out to be a group of people who are sulking just because they cannot celebrate Hari Raya the way they are used to for generations.

OK, perhaps some are indeed sulking because of that.

But, the fact is, most of them are angry at the flip flops and U-turns of the government which have led to the MCO.

I don’t think I need to spell out what the flip flops and U-turns are, as many, if not all of us, know it all too well. And the flip flops, U-turns and contradictions are continuing to a ridiculous level.

Like I said earlier, the social media platform is where people (Malays and non-Malays) are spilling out their wrath. Take a look and we can find remarks like “businesses and the public are suffering from the flip flops, inconsistencies and last-minute announcements rather than the MCO itself,” said one netizen.

“If everything was planned properly, announced and executed, we won’t be in this situation,” said another.

And yet another netizen commented, “Malaysia could have been guided through the pandemic if there was adequate leadership.”

And these remarks were made by Malays, or people with Malay names!

I agree with Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii when he said it is not the restrictions that are hurting the people (read all Malaysians) and economy the most, but the uncertainty.

And I must put in this tweet by old friend Jahabar Sadiq who runs The Malaysian Insight:

“Defense Minister announces 2 new EMCO areas, widens an MCO area, ends 6 EMCO areas.

“Less than an hour later the PM announces nationwide MCO from May 12 to June 7.

“Weren’t they in the same meeting? What’s going on?”

That tells the story. Now we see hashtag #KerajaanGagal is trending again!

And the Malays are also angry because of what they see as double standards in dishing out punishments to SOP violators.

They see VIPS, artists and celebrities getting off lightly, if at all, while the common Malays are hit hard.

And they are also not happy that the same group of people and this time including Ustaz or religious preachers free to travel interstate and attend events, not to mention minister flying to the Middle East on so-called official duties but perform the Umrah at the same time.

All this when they are instructed to stay at home!

As I was about to write this, a friend sent me a video clip of two Malay ladies ranting in anger and grief over their predicament.

Both are what you might call the average Mak Cik Kiah, working hard doing small businesses to earn income for their families. 

They are among the many who sell food for buka puasa at Ramadan bazaars.

In this case, the ladies alleged they were told by the authorities they could continue operating for a couple more days. Then all of a sudden they were asked to pack off after they had set up their businesses for the day.

To be clear, this was before Muhyiddin’s nationwide MCO announcement on Monday May 10.

Amidst their fury there were tears. They have spent a lot of money to carry out their businesses only to end like this.

True, Ramadan bazaars have always been viewed negatively with regards to COVID-19. However, small traders need to survive, and it is the government which has allowed them to operate.

The government wanted to help them earn their living. No doubt. But surely it should have the capability and ability to foresee the risk or potential danger before allowing the bazaars to open in the first place. Irrespective of SOPS and what not. Not that the government had not been warned.

Now the traders are being blamed. So too the people who have flocked to the bazaars.

But didn’t the government say the bazaars were to generate the economy? How can that be done if people do not go to bazaars?

Then there was another video in which the voice of the person shooting it was heard saying that people should vote the government out come GE15.

Need I say he was a Malay?

In fact, such calls can be heard and seen also on social media platforms. And I read of at least one made by a Malay gentleman who prayed that Allah would end the pandemic and for GE15 to be held as soon as possible.

I don’t know whom that gentleman will vote for In GE15. But one thing for sure, I know whom he won’t be voting for.

(Mohsin Abdullah is a veteran journalist and now a freelancer who writes about this, that and everything else.)