[VIDEO] Why I became a frontliner

IT is never easy losing a loved one, especially if it is a parent, since the loss will haunt one perennially. This is especially so in the bond a between mother and son – a relationship that cannot be explained merely in words.

For Mohd Azrai Mohd Azhari Mohd Ariffin, losing his 68-year-old mother abruptly to colon carcinoma two years ago is still fresh in his mind.

For the sake of keeping his 73-year-old father and sisters happy, Azrai portrays a stoic demeanour, but deep within he could not shake off the feeling of hollowness and despair, and he knew he could no longer betray his truest feelings.

However, the situation for him has changed and the feelings of obscurity has since passed.

This was caused by the deadly Coronavirus that hit globally on March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 as a worldwide pandemic.

As the deadly virus causes chaos globally, in Malaysia, thousands of frontliners continue to carry on with their jobs despite the health risks.

These hard-working heroes are keeping Malaysians safe from the spread of this deadly virus.

Although the term ‘frontliner’ invokes images of doctors in hazmat suits, during the Covid-19 outbreak, volunteers also did not run far from the list.

Azrai was among them – a former media personnel that left all else behind to become a frontliner.

“I started volunteering at the Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) in Stadium Titiwangsa from the first day it opened and I have never looked back,” he said when met by The Vibes.

Azrai chose to volunteer after losing his mother to an illness, as he could not bear the thought of it happening to others.

Hence, if he could not help save his mom, he could direct his efforts towards saving others from the deadly Covid-19 virus.

In his daily routine, Azrai describes being in a full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit for eight hours to handle approximately 200 Covid-19 patients a day.

“However, early this year, the number of Covid-19 patients have increased tremendously to 500 per day,” he said.

Azrai admits from time to time, there is a tendency for the mind to play tricks on them – volunteers would start to doubt themselves by asking: “What am I doing here, have I contracted Covid-19?”

However, when they come to their senses after several minutes, the volunteers would realise it is their call of duty to help curb the spread of this deadly disease and they feel strongly that this is a way of contributing towards ‘fardhu kifayah’ (communal obligation).

“Not all frontliners ‘need’ to wear hazmat suits – I did not understand that until I volunteered,” he stated.

When asked to describe what the most challenging situation he had to confront during volunteering, was, Azrai responded:

“Kids are part of the Covid-19 patients. They don’t know anything. They just came to the Covid-19 centre; they went into the stadium, running around to play, not knowing they were sick.

“Or when children send their elderly parents to the centre, that could be the last time they are seeing each other as no one knows what the next outcome will be,” he added.

43-year-old Azrai obtained a training certificate in First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and for rescue and fire-fighting basics.

Azrai also advises Malaysians to adhere strictly to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Ministry of Health.

“Listen to the MOH – You will not lose anything; you will be safe.

“By doing so, the cases will go down quickly, but if we don't, then it will be a problem for us.

“Even if you place a few million frontliners to curb this deadly disease, it will never be enough as Covid-19 cases will still be there.

“So, just follow the rules and regulations – ‘buanglah sikit ketegaq tu’ (don’t be stubborn),” he advised, adding that one of the hardest and most emotional times one can ever experience is to lose someone dear, abruptly, as he himself experienced.

When asked a parting question on when he would stop volunteering, Azrai said only when this pandemic is over.

“I remember Ustaz Ebit Lew (Muslim preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew) said before; ‘the time when ‘rahmat’ (blessings) comes down most is when we are caring and loving towards one another’.

“So, that is a blessing. When I do this, it reminds me of the strength of my mom. She was a fighter, she was a cancer fighter but she didn't make it.

“I inherited the energy from her – her strength, her spirit is in me. She didn't die. She's still with me.

“She’s my best friend and one day I will meet her again, InsyaAllah,” he said with the warmest smile, even as his eyes spoke a thousand different stories. – The Vibes, December 4, 2021