Citrawarna, the Colours of Malaysia, is a mid-year festival when the country is on parade, in all its splendour.

Well, we’ve just left June and it’s already getting quite colourful even without the festival. For one thing, Malaysians of all hues are singing the blues.

Dark skies are over us with the pandemic on the one hand and the economic crunch on the other. Businesses everywhere are in the red.

Missteps are aplenty and well-intentioned programmes are not working. We have had a litany of P words – Permai, Prihatin, Perkasa, Pemulih and many more – but Poverty continues unabated.

But there is some light, if not at the end of the tunnel, at least in our midst.

Where the leaders seem to have failed, the people are coming together. “Kita jaga Kita”, a phrase coined by the health ministry for community vigilance during the MCO, has taken on a new note, with ordinary people rallying to help each other.

A teacher has set up a food bank outside her house, TNB workers have collected funds to feed their neighbourhood, restaurants have forgone profits and are instead giving away food. Churches, temples and mosques are all religiously helping the faithful.

A white flag campaign has started, and it is working.

Those struggling to make ends meet – some surviving on biscuits, others down to a meal a day – and at the end of their tether are finding that help is at hand. All they need to do is put up a white flag, and aid will arrive.

What started as a campaign in the Klang Valley is catching on around the country, with many donating to the cause. Hunger and poverty may yet be overcome in the country, thanks to its people.

The people in PAS, both in Kedah and Kelantan, don’t seem to agree with the white flag though. Green with envy, perhaps?

Maybe not, because Sabah, too, is not keen on white. They are going for blue flags instead.

The government, on its part, has – for once – given all MPs an equal allocation of RM300,000 each to help the poor in their constituencies. They are supposed to deliver food baskets to the poor.

Let’s just hope that they put the allocation to good use, and help the poor and jobless, and not cause thorny issues with personal parties.

Talking of the jobless, many contract doctors could well be joining that group soon. Facing a situation where permanent jobs are not forthcoming and contracts may be terminated, they have decided to go on strike. And they are going black.

The government really needs to look into their plight. With the relentless Covid-19 onslaught, we need these doctors desperately. And we must not discard them as soon as the pandemic is over.

By the way, did anyone know that doctors are paid so little? It costs a bomb to get that degree and, as contract doctors, they are paid a pittance. No wonder then that they are desperate.

We really need to rethink that salary scale. It’s a crying shame for those entrusted with keeping us in the pink of health.

Those who care for animals have started their own campaign. The Malaysia Animal Association is asking people to raise red flags if they cannot feed their pets. The group will then deliver food for the pets.

That’s a kind effort at a time when people are feeding poison to hungry monkeys looking for food near residential areas.

With all these happening, what role is there for the government (besides ordering lockdowns, that is)?

Well, they have shown us the colour of their money and doled out billions, but somehow, the results aren’t showing.

Parliament remains closed and even the blue bloods could not – until yesterday – convince the prime minister to reconvene Parliament. Many MPs saw red over that.

And on Thursday, the prime minister’s office had to make an extraordinary gaffe with an announcement of his health. That led to some real off-colour jokes.

While the federal government dithers, states are getting the green light to go ahead and have their assemblies. I really hope they get cracking and start solving problems at the state-level. Their collective efforts may yet see us come out of the rut.

We desperately need to get back to normalcy. Post-pandemic there may be some new, golden opportunities. All we have to do is hit a purple patch some time after Phase 4 – and hope for blue skies.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.