KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian students in China are more united than ever in weathering the threat of the coronavirus spreading at an alarming rate from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.
Penang-born PhD student at Wuhan’s Central China Normal University, Jully Goh, 30, said Malaysians in the city were keeping close tabs on each other.
“When news of the virus broke, I sensed a brief moment of panic in the student community here.
“I was writing papers in my dormitory when I heard the news.
“However, things got better when we shared the news developments in WeChat groups along with other members of the Malaysian Students’ Association here in Wuhan.
“There are also Malaysian student bodies in other provinces in China.
“We used the group chat to exchange information on precautions, virus prevention measures, emergency rescue contacts, and even on how to select and correctly use face masks,” she said.
According to Goh, the student body also initiated a charity drive to help those facing financial constraints.
“My school authorities have placed great importance on the safety of students by giving each of us free thermometers and face masks.
“It was mandated that every student who stayed in school had to take their temperature every day and report it to the international students’ affairs office daily.”
Goh said she had strong faith in the authorities’ handling of the health crisis.
“I’ve also stocked up food prior to winter. However, I learnt through the news media that the government would ensure adequate food supply in Wuhan.
“The least I have to do, once my food runs out, is to go out and get it from the nearby supermarket.
“However, from where I am, I haven’t seen any ambulance making rounds in the city, or the presence of an underground medical team here. I have faith that everything will be all right”
Another Malaysian student from Wuhan University, Thomas Tan Jun Hao, 21, said living in a city on lockdown was a “real” experience.
“The place is fast becoming a ghost town.
“Access to airports, high-speed rail, MRT and such has been blocked, while pedestrians and vehicles on the roads have become scarce.
“Many residents are more aware of the outbreak and have chosen to stay home,” he said.
The Muar-born student said not a single person in Wuhan is seen without a face mask these days.
“Even stores are posting notices requiring customers to wear a face mask before entering the store.”
A student in Beijing, Che Nurabiah Hajar Che Zainuddin, 23, said the student body in her university had been especially protective.
“Since the news came out, the person in charge of the students’ body at Beijing Language and Culture University has been actively communicating with us (Malaysian students) via group chats.
“We keep updating our whereabouts and conditions through the group chat frequently.”
The final-year student of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language said she never thought the virus could be deadly.
“When I first knew about it, I did not think it was serious.
“The town I’m living in, which is Haidian, has not completely turned into a ghost town yet. Most of us put on a face mask when we go out. I think my room is the only sanctuary for me right now,” she added.
“I am grateful to learn that I’m not alone at the very least.”
The Malaysian embassy has established an emergency response team, led by Ambassador Raja Datuk Nurshirwan Zainal Abidin.
According to the office, there are nine Malaysian students currently residing in Wuhan, and 25 to 30 students in Beijing.
The focus at the moment is to maintain contact and gather information on Malaysians in Wuhan and other affected areas, and to extend appropriate consular support.
The embassy advised all Malaysians in China to keep themselves updated on the situation, via the local media as well as Malaysia’s Health Ministry, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China’s and the World Health Organisation.