2020: It isn't all too bad 

THE end of 2020 is here folks, and we have a whole new year to brave through in no time.

So instead of closing the books with more sadness and grief, here are the top, feel-good-stories shared online. They serve as a reminder that the past 12 months was not so much of a blunder. Plus, being in a sour mood isn’t a good feeling to end or start anything.

Differently-abled woman sewing PPE 

When the country was facing a shortage of supplies in April, 32-year-old Norfarrah Syahirah Shaari from Bagan Datuk, Perak caught the Internet’s attention by producing personal protective equipment (PPE) with 34 other volunteers. They made them for medical workers at Teluk Intan Community Clinic and Teluk Intan Hospitals. Norfarrah, who was born without arms, captured the hearts of Malaysians with her dedication and motivation to help frontliners. Sewing up to eight gowns per day (totalling to 252 as a group) – they proved that a big heart is all it takes to make a difference.

A blissful reunion

Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal made netizens gush in a heartwarming reunion with a caregiver from his childhood. The long-time resident of the area used to work in his parents’ company back when he was little.

In an online post shared by Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya, ACP Ezanee was photographed embracing the aunty fondly known as ‘Ah Siong’. Their bright smiles and happiness were evident when the officer paid a visit to her house, in return for her good deeds in the past. Although they may not have kept in touch over the years, Ah Siong remembered Ezanee dearly. She collected newspaper clippings that feature him; helping her stay up to date on the little boy that she once used to buy pandan-flavoured pau for. A video of Ezanee detailing the history of their relationship also accompanied the post. Netizens applauded the officer his move.

Little champion on the ice

Rising ice-skating star Sangeeta Retnakumar took the Internet by storm when she bagged five gold medals at the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) Asia Final Championship Series in Bangkok. The 12-year-old aspiring winter Olympics skater from SK Pusat Bandar Puchong 2 represented Sunway Pyramid Ice Academy in January. She dedicated the win to her grandmother who passed away a year ago. Sangeeta started to ice-skate when she was seven and trains a least of four times a week to perfect her form.

Little genius

Three-year-old Muhammad Haryz Nadzim buzzed the webspace early in the year when he became one of the youngest people to be accepted into Mensa UK. Mensa is the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. To become a member, you would need to have an IQ in the top 2%. Born to parents with engineering backgrounds, Muhammad Haryz achieved the incredible feat with an IQ score of 142 on the Stanford Binet test, based on news reports. Haryz's score placed him in the top 0.3% of the population.

The Dodo Bird’s cousin dazzles amid stillness

The rare Nicobar pigeon, native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific, is the closest living relative of the famous flightless Dodo bird. Its iridescent blues, coppers, and greens contrasting with reddish legs and small whitetail managed to take netizens’ breaths away as images of the glorious bird surfaced on the web recently. The appreciation shown emphasised the need for greater conservation of animal species worldwide. This is especially so for those that are deemed to be near threatened to threatened.

Enjoying the little comedies in life

Cyclist Mohd Kharbi Mominin amused Internet dwellers when he shared a hilarious turn of event on Facebook group My Kayuh. It told of his cycling experience sometime in the middle of this year. The 51-year-old was on a four-day expedition from Hulu Klang to his hometown in Terengganu. After riding 70km from Kenyir Lake to Kuala Berang on the first day of Hari Raya Aidiladha, he was feeling completely exhausted and famished. He decided to stop at a nearby ‘warung’ for a quick energising break. 

He managed to sit and have a good plate of nasi dagang before deciding to continue his journey. It was only when he asked for the bill that he realised he made the mistake of thinking someone's private home as a roadside eatery.

According to Mohd Kharbi, he assumed the place was a restaurant when he saw people sitting and eating at the few tables at the front porch. His confusion was also coupled with the fact that the ‘mak cik’, presumably the owner of the house, still served him food when he ordered it.

After learning the reality, he was thankful and showed gratitude for the hospitality shown by her family. This hysterical Facebook post gained hundreds of reactions and comments from group members. Many found the cyclist’s lack of judgement hilarious. – The Vibes, December 31, 2020