MCO Lockdown: 10 Tips To Get Back Your Customers For Malaysian Businesses During COVID-19 Pandemic

  • By CompareHero.my
  • May 29, 2020

The impact of the MCO or pandemic lockdown is being felt by all businesses in Malaysia. Many business owners are now looking for ways to get back and retain their customers amid this tough period to survive. These 10 tips reveal how businesses can manage and improve customers’ experience during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we’re starting to see the light at the end of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) tunnel, more and more businesses are gearing up to reopen their operations. But the thing is, so much has changed and so much has been lost. How can businesses navigate in this new normal? 

First up, if you’re preparing to reopen, that’s major good news in itself. In these trying times, many companies have taken austerity measures to manage the pandemic’s impact on their cash flow, such as taking up stimulus packages, making pay cuts, and even worse, letting go of their staff. Beyond that, some hotels, media titles, bubble tea shops, and retailers had to bite the dust, one after another. 

Even though things will be different for a long time, people are eventually going to go out again and sink back into their usual habits and lifestyle. As such, businesses need to be ready for them, or risk facing even greater losses this time around. 

So for those of you who are a little luckier, what to do with your business after Covid-19? How can you retain your customers after Covid-19, and improve customer loyalty at the same time? Before we embark on the probable answers or suggestions, let us try to understand the general consumer behaviours first.

The Different Consumer Behaviours In A Pandemic World

The world as we know it has changed, and the sooner businesses adapt, the better. It’s risky to think that everything will be business-as-usual, so it’s important to be aware of the different customer behaviours after Covid-19 and how Malaysian businesses can tailor their post-MCO marketing strategies effectively.

Right off the bat, you’d know that everyone is online. Companies have been going through their digital transitions for a while now, but the MCO was really a catalyst to what was already happening. To think that this may slow down in a post-Covid-19 world would likely be wrong too – as consumers are getting used to the benefits and conveniences, they’re less likely to opt out from it. 


With no place to go, everyone goes online.

Beyond that, consumers want things fast. Sure, there’s a general understanding that the MCO would affect delivery times, but companies are doing their best to circumvent that logistical challenge by using on-demand delivery services such as Goget, GrabDelivery, and many other new services mushrooming in the local scene. 

As the pandemic has put health as a priority, consumers are also more cautious about hygiene and cleanliness. Not many would take a chance on businesses that have poor hygiene guidelines.

To add to that, we also obviously see more people cutting down on food orders, and trying to cook things on their own. This makes them a little more independent, and even the undomesticated folk find themselves frying an egg for the first time. 

A Nielsen webinar also showed that there’s real customer disloyalty too, as the past few weeks have seen a myriad of challenges plaguing supply and demand. When it comes to stocking up, we’ve thankfully gone past the nightmare of having people resort to hijacking bread trucks just to get a slice… but we’re definitely expecting people to look for more value-for-money items instead of spending on their favourite brands. 

People are also less likely to make big ticket purchases, such as cars and properties. Kenanga Research said consumers are increasingly cautious with their spending patterns, leaning towards more value-for-money purchases instead.

The grim reality is that, even after the MCO is lifted, people are still likely to be less inclined to make big purchases. For more information, we found that The Borneo Post had covered this pretty extensively with multiple sources – you can read more here. 

Being aware of these new behaviours make it easier for businesses to tweak their strategies to attract back their customers. Here are some tips for business owners to try to get back their regular customers after MCO, and gain new ones along the way. 

10 Customer Retention Strategies During The COVID-19 Pandemic

1. Get digital if you haven’t already 

This is by far one of the most important investments to make for your business right now. From what we’ve learned, tech is the most vital tool for businesses to survive post-MCO, so if you still have a sizable budget or savings for your business, you know what to do. 

Regardless of the business you’re in, you can always start with the easiest, least intimidating thing: setting up a Facebook page. Facebook is easily the fastest way to reach new and existing customers regardless of the size of your business – whether a big conglomerate or even a pasar malam stall.

With features to post up your products, livestream product demos, automate your conversations with customers, generate instant leads, and a whole lot more, there’s so much that you can do at your fingertips.


Bring your business to your customers – not the other way around.

In fact, you can also consider advertising on Facebook and other platforms within their network. Unfortunately, without advertising on Facebook, your business is still pretty much invisible. Of course, this would require you to learn a little bit about Facebook advertising, and thankfully there are so many free resources available online. 

Another very important one – your Google My Business page. It’s a free business listing feature on Google, and all you have to do is to set it up, and you’ll get to reach some of the 5.6 billion searches that happen everyday on Google. 

You can also consider setting up other things to supplement your digital efforts, such as: 

  • A proper website (for you to post up your products and information) 
  • An e-commerce store on platforms like Lazada and Shopee (for you to tap into their traffic, resources, and logistics solutions) 
  • Other social media platforms according to your business, like Instagram and Twitter (for you to reach out to a bigger audience) 
  • A WhatsApp business account (for customers to easily reach out to you, and vice-versa) 
  • A simple payment system, like iPay88 or PayPal (to make it easy for people to pay on the spot instead of having to manually perform an online transfer) 
  • An automated response system, like chatbots (so your customers can quickly get a response instead of feeling like they’re talking to a wall) 
  • An e-wallet payment system for your offline store, like GrabPay or Touch ‘n Go (so customers can enjoy clean, contactless transactions and get rewarded while they shop. More on this later.) 
  • A logistics service provider, like Lalamove or J&T Express (so you can get your stuff to your customers wherever they are)

Of course, these are just a few of the many things you can do to bring your business to the digital forefront. 

Speaking of which, if you need any help with financing your business operations, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to browse through some financing options available on our site to see which would suit your budget and limitations. You can browse them here. 

Also, we’ve previously covered how to use personal loans and credit cards to help benefit your business, such as reducing your business cash flow and reducing your current interest rate. Read more from the links above. 

2. Update all your communications, especially on Google My Business 

This is the easiest thing you can do, but also, easily the most important thing to do as well. 

Customers are always searching for information online, especially on Google since that seems to be the default. (Sorry, Bing.) If your business is closed, temporarily open, or open according to normal working hours, all you have to do is to simply update these details so that it would be easy for your customers to know what to do next.


Keep your customers updated with Google My Business.

If you have a presence on Facebook, why not share an announcement post with the latest details of your business operations and pin them to the top? And on Instagram, it wouldn’t hurt to create a series of Stories with the same information, and set them as Highlights so that visitors can see them first thing on your page. 

But thinking that having an online presence is the magic bullet to success, would be likening it to driving from JB to Penang in a car without wheels. You’ll still need to tailor meaningful messages to your customers. It’s important to enhance the entire experience by providing clear, concise, and consistent communications. 

Unlike an offline store, customers have no visibility… and this means a lack of communication could potentially drive them up the wall in anxiety. Don’t just think about posting promotions – think about constantly updating your customers with information on their purchases, such as delivery and stock statuses. It’s all about managing expectations, and getting it right at the start can go a long way. 

3. Use data on your customers to further strategise your efforts 

Running a business without analysing your audience is like throwing things to a wall and seeing what sticks. 

If you’ve got your digital efforts up and running, why not look into the data you have on your customers? Data is essential to any business today, regardless of size and industry. That’s because business owners now have concrete visibility and understanding into whether their efforts have worked or not, and why. 

By understanding your audience data, you’re able to find the right method to engage with your customers, and eventually increase your chances of making a sale. 

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the fundamentals – understanding your customers first, and then tailoring your strategies accordingly. Knowing your customers will allow you to find the right ways to engage with them, including: 

  • knowing how to angle your messages in a language that they understand, 
  • knowing how to target your ads to the right audience, and 
  • knowing how to give them what they need.

This can be pretty intimidating if you’re new to the scene, but as always, there are many free resources to help you get started.

4. Run promotions to help your business stand out 

If you’ve always been hard-pressed against giving out vouchers and discounts, NOW would be a great time to bend your rules. This Nielsen webinar on the Malaysian consumer behaviour during the MCO showed that 75% of customers took advantage of a special offer or deal – an increase from the previous year.


Promotions can help your business stand out and be more attractive to your customers.

Unless your business has zero competitors, promotions are a great way to stand out from others. Giving your customers an added advantage – be it a small discount or even a free dessert – will help with your business survival during this time. 

It’s also an investment in the long run, too. Promotions will help you collect more data on your customers, both new and existing. Much like in point #3, knowing them better will help you launch more successful promotions in the future. Rinse and repeat. 

Some quick ideas for promotions during this time: 

  • 15% off total bill 
  • Buy 3 Free 1 deals 
  • Discounted cash vouchers

Just remember to be tactful in this difficult time. Avoid using insensitive messaging such as asking your customers to spend their stimulus checks with you, or using voucher codes that literally spell ‘CORONAVIRUS’. Be extra careful with how you word your communications during this time, as it will be easy to look like you’re capitalizing on public fear and anxiety to push sales. 

This brings us to our next point… 

5. Communicate with empathy 

In a time where everyone is affected one way or another, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to open up about the struggles you’re facing as a business. However, it’s important to do this with honesty, sincerity, and transparency, as the last thing you want is for your customers to think that you’re only doing this for sympathy. 

This goes hand-in-hand with point #4 – if businesses seek empathy, they should also do the same to customers with promotions that will give them more value for their money.  

Most importantly, be extra careful with how you speak to your customers. While you match your tone to the current climate, you still don’t want to be called out for taking advantage of a crisis, or using it to push sales. 

6. Be strict with hygiene… and make sure everyone sees it too  

Whether you’re in F&B or retail, be extra strict about how you and your employees manage your daily operations. 

As the public is anxious about their health and safety, the best thing that businesses can do is to assure them that they are following health SOPs to the tee. It’s one thing to equip your employees with masks, sanitisers, gloves, and a thermometer. It’s another thing to ensure that they actually use it properly.


Improper use of face masks just defeats the purpose of having them in the first place.

Potential customers don’t just look at your employees – they also look at other patrons in your premises. Another customer who doesn’t seem to be following the health SOPs (e.g. pulling down their mask to chat while browsing through products, not maintaining social distancing rules) can easily turn them off too.

As a business owner, you also need to do your part to keep your premise safe so that others can be more confident in shopping in your store. Politely tell such customers to adhere to the SOPs as it is mandatory for them to do so.

7. Make it easy for your customers  

Apart from hygiene, customers don’t really want to linger around too long either. Not that they don’t have the time – the SOPs have just made it a little less convenient to ‘lepak’ as and when they like. As such, simplifying the buying process for your customers can help them make their decisions fast. 

For example, if you own an F&B store, why not print out a large menu of best-selling items that don’t take too long to prepare? Or better yet, have sample boxes displayed at the front of your premise so that your customers don’t have to go through the hassle of flipping pages. All they need to do is to point and order. 

All these are subjective to the kind of business you’re in, so take a look at where your decision-making bottleneck lies, and try to simplify it as best you can. 

8. Adopt a cashless payment system 

In point #1, we said that an e-wallet payment system would be a great way to expand your digital efforts. If you haven’t added this, now’s the time to do so. This also goes hand-in-hand with our point of making things easy for your customers, as you’ll eliminate the need to fuss over notes and coins. 


With e-wallets, there’s no need to exchange germy paper notes and coins.

It’s not just rewarding to your customers (as each e-wallet has their own benefits, i.e. Touch ‘n Go’s cashback, GrabPay’s reward system) – it’s also a lot cleaner too. It has been scientifically proven that cash carries germs and can easily be passed around, so any option to avoid anything like that would be a lot more attractive to customers. 

There are other plus points for you as a business too – you get automated bookkeeping, reduced risk of theft and cash leakage, shorter transaction time compared to credit cards, and the ability to leverage off the e-wallet’s current network of users. 

Besides, the transition to a cashless future started years ago – the MCO was just a really big push. An article from The Straits Times highlighted a finding by JP Morgan that in 2019, digital wallets accounted for 7% of the local e-commerce payment transactions. Before the pandemic, this figure was expected to hit 16% by 2021. And according to a Nielsen webinar, 45% of their respondents had started to use e-wallets more frequently due to the MCO. 

So, why not start now? 

9. Get customers to advocate for you

We live in a hyper-connected world where a single recommendation or complaint can create great impacts to businesses. Nielsen reported that 92% of consumers believe suggestions from friends and family more than advertising, and Ogilvy found that 74% of consumers identify ‘word of mouth’ as a key influencer in their purchasing decisions. 

However, still a vast majority of businesses don’t actively seek out reviews or recommendations. 

In order to tap onto this, you need to first have a great product. Keep the buying process as simple and as fast as possible for the customer, and go above and beyond for your customers if they ever need your help. 

At the end, it also wouldn’t hurt to also incentivise your customers to leave a review. Lifestyle brand Oxwhite does this pretty well by giving users an RM5 voucher on their next purchase if they leave a review on their site, thereby keeping their customers coming back to spend more. 

10. Consider empowering other businesses in your local community 

Lastly, remember that you’re not alone in this. Many other businesses are struggling the same way, so it would always be a good idea to find a business that you can partner up with to empower each other. 

Local partnerships almost always help businesses grow together, especially when they each offer services which complement each other. It could be something from as simple as a social media cross-platform promotion, to a joint activation event where all parties come together for a cause. 

By partnering with another local business, you’ll be able to reach out to their customers to grow your base (and vice-versa). Just remember that in order for a partnership to work, both parties need to agree on expectations and deliver exactly that.

There’s No Secret Formula… So It’s Important To Learn And Adapt

Truth be told, you may or may not be able to utilise the points in any listicle you read online. (Even this one!) So the most important thing any business can do is to really look at how your customers’ needs have changed, and what you can do to help meet those needs. 

It can be a difficult course to navigate, especially since this pandemic is an unprecedented event that nobody saw coming. The best thing to do is to learn, adapt, and listen to your customers for insights to steer your business direction the right way.

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How Malaysians Can Check Their Credit Score For FREE Via CompareHero.my

  • By CompareHero.my
  • May 28, 2020

CTOS Malaysia is providing FREE MyCTOS Score credit reports for Malaysians vis the partnership with CompareHero.my. Here’s how you can check, read, and understand your latest CTOS credit score for FREE!

Let’s be honest – many of us don’t actually know much about credit scores, but it’s actually crucial in helping us with our finances. In fact, we do many little things without realising how we’re affecting one of the biggest factors to securing our livelihood.

This is even more important now, as many Malaysians and their rice bowls have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in one way or another.

In this article, we want to help you understand what credit scores are all about and how you can find out your credit score using CompareHero.my.

What Is Credit Score And Why Is It Important?

So, what’s a credit score? Very simply, it is a number between 300-850 which represents your creditworthiness and how likely you are to repay debt. These are the three most important digits of your life.

See, banks and lenders cannot be giving out loans to any Ali, Muthu, or Chong without first checking how financially healthy they are, and how likely they are to repay their debt. So, what do they do when they get a loan application? They check up on each person’s credit score. The higher the score, the higher the chance of getting financing requests approved.

Let’s say you want to buy a house for your growing family. Or your business took a big hit during the MCO, and now you need some financial help to pay salaries. Or, touch wood, someone in your household gets into a serious medical emergency and your insurance is unable to cover the full amount.

Those are a few of the many instances where you’ll likely need some help from banks or lenders, so you definitely don’t want to be turned down just because your three-digit score is unappealing.

Having a good credit score will also mean that you’ll have more options to choose from, as more banks and lenders will prefer dealing with you. It’ll also give you leverage to negotiate a lower interest rate on a credit card or a loan.

What Is A CTOS Score And Why Is It Important?

You’ve probably heard of CTOS in one way or another. If you haven’t, well, they’re one of the three main Credit Reporting Agencies governed under the CRA Act 2010. They’re also registered to the Registrar Office of Credit Reporting Agencies, so you know they’re the real deal.

When it comes to credit scores, CTOS calculates these numbers based on their own proprietary models. They would look something like this:


The three most important digits of your life

This begs the question – why would this be important to you? Well, CTOS is trusted and recognized by businesses all over the country. This includes top banking and financial institutions, insurance and telco companies, statutory bodies, and even SMEs.

Most times, these businesses would run credit score checks on potential borrowers before deciding to lend money. Some also do these very checks on job applicants, potential house tenants, and even future husbands/wives! In that sense, you can imagine just how important your CTOS score is for your livelihood.

Also read: What Is A CTOS & CCRIS Report And What’s Their Difference?

Here Is How To Check Your Credit Score For FREE With CompareHero.my!

To herald the partnership between CTOS and CompareHero.my, we are giving away 5,000 FREE credit score assessments every month on a first-come-first-serve basis to help Malaysians better understand their financial positions.

All you need to do is: 

  1. Click here to access the CompareHero.my credit score assessment.
  2. Fill in your name as per your MyKad, Email address, MyKad number, Phone Number and Monthly Income.
  3. Agree to the Terms and Conditions and click Next. 
  4. Upload images of the front and back of your MyKad. Take care to ensure that images are clear, are not blocked by glare or shadows and that all 4 corners of the MyKad are clearly visible. 
  5. Wait patiently as the system verifies your identity and retrieves your credit score.
  6. View your score. If your score if below good, consider researching and taking remedial action.

Related: 6 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

Now, How To Read Your FREE CTOS Report?

If you’ve gotten your credit score, now it’s time to understand them. If you have a good score, congratulations – keep doing what you’re doing!


An example of how your results page would look like

If you have a bad score, you may be wondering what went wrong. To find out, you need to first understand that your score is calculated based on credit information from both CCRIS and CTOS’s database. There are five factors to this:

  • Payment History (45%) – whether you pay your loans on time or have missed payments in the past
  • Amount Owed (20%) – the number of credit facilities and the amount owed to the banks
  • Credit History Length (7%) – the amount of time you held a credit facility (credit card, or a loan)
  • Credit Mix (14%) – the types of loans and credit cards you hold – secured (home, car loans) vs unsecured credit (credit cards, personal loans)
  • New Credit (14%) – any approved new credit facilities in recent times

There’s a high chance that you could’ve missed your payments in the past, or that you owe a lot of money to banks. By comparing the five factors to your spending, borrowing, and repayment habits, you can likely learn where the issue lies.

Now, what if you ended up with NO score at all? That’s because you don’t have any credit to begin with (e.g. you haven’t done anything to borrow money, you don’t even have a credit card). Without any credit, it’s impossible for banks to read your score.

While this may seem like a good thing, well, it actually isn’t. If banks can’t read you, it will be really difficult to secure a loan if you ever need one. An easy way to circumvent this is by applying for your first credit card. (Remember to use it wisely so your credit score stays healthy!)

Remember that your credit score plays a huge role in your life. It would be good practice to check your score once or twice a year to always be in the know.

So… why not start now with the free credit score assessment? Hurry and seize it now before the 5,000 complimentary assessments run out. But even if it does, it’s ok – just try again next month!

 

Get your free credit score assessment!
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Job Loss Amid CMCO: How To Bounce Back From Retrenchment

  • By CompareHero.my
  • May 22, 2020

Many Malaysians have lost their jobs or gone into unemployment since the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force. Learn how three Malaysians bounced back from retrenchment amid the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) or PKPB.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our country’s economy, with the slowdown in economic activity a sign of a looming recession. Some staggering figures over the last few months also reveal the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s job market.

For starters, Malaysia’s unemployment rate rose by 3.9% in March, with the number of unemployed persons increasing by 17.1% year on year (yoy) from 521,300 to 601,500. The increase in March is a reflection of the negative impact of the Movement Control Order (MCO) imposed from March 18 to April 28 to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Additionally, a survey conducted by DOSM revealed that almost 50% of self-employed Malaysians are out of work because of the MCO. It also showed that the agriculture and services sectors recorded the highest percentage of job losses as compared to other sectors, with 21.9% and 15%, respectively.

All in all, the labour industry has been severely affected by the pandemic. Bank Negara Malaysia estimates that the unemployment rate will shoot up to 4% this year from 3.3% in 2019. For context, the highest unemployment rate for Malaysia was recorded at 7.4% in 1986.


Source: DOSM

The crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic hit closer to home for three Malaysians, all of whom were retrenched from their respective jobs due to the virus. In this article, CompareHero.my spoke to them to learn how they coped, and how they’re finding their way back up again.

The Ex-Teacher Who Took Up Over Three Side Jobs


Photo courtesy of Shirley, used with permission

For Shirley Leow (pseudonym), losing her job of working with special needs children was a bittersweet occasion. Though it posed a serious financial conundrum for the 25-year-old, it also provided her with a slight sense of relief because she was able to leave a low-paying job with a working culture that clashed with her own values.

“When I realized I would no longer have a few months’ salary, I started panicking, especially because I have to support two households,” she said.

Leow, who has been living independently for over five years now, is currently earning a couple of hundreds by sewing PPEs for a social enterprise. She also earns some extra income by freelancing as a writer and editor.

She admits that though she’s currently struggling to make ends meet, her current situation is still better compared to her family’s earlier days during the recession in the 90s. With all their jobs combined, she says her middle-class family still manages to get by.

Her motivation to push forward and juggle multiple jobs at once, Leow said, comes from the harsh reality of just needing to get by. “I’ll remind myself constantly that I’m going to have to suffer for a bit in the next few months,” she said.

Though Leow has secured a new job, there are uncertainties surrounding the position, as she won’t be able to start work until the education sector reopens. “It’s in education, so my new workplace won’t be able to operate until the MCO ends,” she said.

“And I heard that centres, like mine, are going through bankruptcy. I don’t know if the centre that employed me is going through the same thing, so though I have a job lined up, I don’t know if I’ll still have a job after MCO,” she shares.

Over the years, Leow has pretty much pulled herself up by her own bootstraps, from sewing her own clothes and batu seremban pockets to earn extra income, to cooking extra meals to sell with her mother. Leow and her family would do anything they can – big or small – to make ends meet.

“My advice to anyone out there who is in a similar situation, is to not be too fussy. 

If you can’t get a job in your own field, you can gain experience somewhere else. Every experience is a good experience, even if it is way out of your interest range.” – Leow to CompareHero.my

The Airbnb Whiz Who Owns 21 Units


Umar posing inside one of his Airbnb units

When Umar Abdul Aziz, 26, joined a local online travel platform in November 2019, he had hopes of expanding his skills and knowledge in the travel and startup industries. But little did he know that a few months down the road, he’d end up without a job. It was only his second professional gig since graduating from college in 2017.

“When the virus hit, companies in the travel and hospitality industries got affected really badly. Since January, they (my employer) have been making zero sales and they are expecting to make zero sales for the next six months,” he said. Almost all of Umar’s colleagues are either on pay cut or taking an unpaid leave; his own supervisor was retrenched as well.

Though Umar said he was expecting to be retrenched because of the company’s poor financial results, it still caught him by surprise. To prep himself for future opportunities, he has upskilled himself by taking online courses and increased his online presence on LinkedIn. “I don’t tell them I’m looking for a job. I just put myself out there,” he said.

Umar said he’s currently not looking for new opportunities, and is instead choosing to focus on growing his side hustle, an Airbnb business in i-City Shah Alam.


Photos from one of Umar’s Airbnb units

“I will give myself some time and focus on my side gig. I would like to see where those things can go,” he said.

Today, Umar gets by with his Airbnb business, which was birthed out of a combined passion for the smart homes industry and his expertise in hospitality. Since its inception, his business has grown from one Airbnb unit to 21 units.

Though the MCO did hit Umar’s business quite badly when it was first announced, his quick thinking of tapping into a demand vacuum for quarantine centers paid off. By changing his target market to quarantine center seekers, he was able to save his business. “I will say that we are lucky, and we’ve managed to survive because of that situation. I’m quite surprised it’s doing okay, if not, we would need to shut it down because the overhead is quite high,” he said.

To manage his finances, he keeps expenditures down and makes sure all his commitments are in order. He also applied for a credit card before being retrenched because he wanted to fully utilize his payslip, and sees it as a proper cushion to fall onto in case of any unforeseeable emergencies. If you’re also on the lookout, it wouldn’t hurt to check out some of the credit cards available to see which can help you in your current situation. Click here to view a list of available credit cards by CompareHero.my.

Related: Ultimate Guide On Using Credit Cards Responsibly

A big lesson he learned from being retrenched is to always be prepared for the worst.

“If you are working with the government, your job security is higher than in a private company. However, there’s no such thing as complete job security, regardless of your experience, because at the end of the day, businesses still need to make money [in order to keep you employed],” he said.

The Marketer Who Just Never Gave Up


Photo courtesy of Soffian

Before getting retrenched, Soffian Abdul Manaf, 36, was part of the internal marketing team at a foreign business process outsourcing company with offices across the Southeast Asia region, including Malaysia. Though the company was already underperforming before the MCO and cutting costs, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated his exit.

“They said they couldn’t justify engaging only one person in Malaysia and I was made redundant. I was given a reasonable VSS package and within two hours, I was out of the office. It was quite brutal,” said Soff, who is the sole breadwinner of a family of four, including two small children.

“It was a bit of a shock, I thought I was doing pretty reasonably and meeting all expectations,” he shares. “There was panic as well because I have a family to take care of, and it was really just a slap to my ego. But I also felt a sense of relief because I could finally do things I wanted to do.”

Immediately after being retrenched, Soff updated his LinkedIn profile, CV, and portfolio, and also signed up for freelance websites as well as networking sites to increase his visibility in the market.

His persistence on LinkedIn eventually paid off when a connection from his current employer approached him, and the rest, as they say, is history. “I was approached by my current company. We had a chat, then fireworks, chemistry and all that stuff… we saw eye to eye on a lot of my ideas and now we’ve got exciting times together to look forward to.”

As a senior copywriter at his previous company, Soff got an upgrade at his new company, and now holds the position of a Digital Marketing Lead. Currently, he is looking to hire a pool of different talents to fill up his digital marketing team, with a focus on hiring people affected by COVID-19.

His advice to job seekers, especially in today’s job market, is to be as versatile as you can. “It’s really about adapting or dying. From my personal experience, I had to figure out what I wanted to do, and figure out where I was willing to compromise,” he said.

“Whatever opportunities that were happening around me, I was constantly readjusting my strategies. I tweaked my CV and portfolio accordingly and tweaked my approach over a period of time,” he said. Soff also took online courses and attended many webinars while he was unemployed.

“It’s the perfect time to update your resume. Keep updating your portfolio and start building your network. Don’t wait till you dah jatuh to only push forward.” – Soffian to CompareHero.my

What To Do If You Get Retrenched From Your Job?

Are you one of the unfortunate few to lose a job because of COVID-19, and now you’re not sure what to do next?

Losing your job can be an incredibly stressful and scary experience. It’s easy for the panic to set in when you mull over the mounting monthly expenses and debt, and your dwindling bank balance.

Thinking about the serious personal, financial, and professional losses that come with unemployment can be daunting. But it’s really important to stay cool and collected during this difficult time.

To help, here are five things you can do to deal with retrenchment in Malaysia:

1. Take a step back for clarity

Your retrenchment doesn’t speak to your value as a person or a worker. Rather, it’s a reflection of the state of your organization and the circumstances, such as COVID-19 or changes in structure, that they are in. There are a lot of reasons why organizations change or are forced to restructure, and most of it has nothing to do with your skills or you as a person.

2. Claim benefits from EIS

This benefit, managed by the Social Security Organization (SOCSO), aids Malaysians who are trying to get back on their feet after being retrenched. If you’re released or forced to resign abruptly, you can claim a percentage of your wages back for a minimum of three months and maximum six.

3. Update your CV and referrals 

Ensure your CV and LinkedIn page is up-to-date, and let recruiters know that you are on the lookout for new opportunities. Optimize your use of other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter because employers usually post job postings there as well. Examples of job pages include:

Pro tip: Connect with old colleagues and friends because recruiters are more likely to hire someone through recommendations instead of walk-in interviews.

4. Think about your next steps

Now is a good time to really think about what your next career move is going to be. Though it may seem intuitive to jump straight onto the next opportunity that comes your way, it’s good to take a step back and really mull over your options. Start with a pros and cons list to help you reason things out.

5. Be optimistic and proactive 

Losing a job is never easy, especially during a difficult time like the COVID-19 pandemic. But it won’t help to be caught in too much negativity as well. So the best option is to stay positive and be hopeful that things would get better.

In the meantime, look out for side jobs, part-time gigs and freelance work to help cushion the blow of being retrenched. Jobs like freelancing, online tutoring, delivery jobs, dropshipping, small online businesses, among others, can help pay the bills and keep you busy.

Related: 8 Side Jobs to Earn Extra Income Amid CMCO

Are Companies Allowed To Retrench Workers During COVID-19?

The short answer is, yes. According to the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources, the decision to retrench staff is the prerogative of the employer but they must comply with three requirements.

1. Genuine financial impact on the business. At the end of the day, all decisions whether it’s cutting budgets or retrenching staff, must make financial sense.

2. Is retrenchment the only means left? Employers must exhaust other means before deciding to retrench employees. This could be reducing working hours, going on a hiring freeze, reducing overtime, cutting wages, or even laying off employees temporarily.

3. If the retrenchment of employees is unavoidable, employers should consider terminating foreign workers first (Foreign Worker First Out), then comply with Last in First Out” rule. But companies do not need to adhere to these principles if strong justification can be presented.

Out Of A Job And In Need Of Financial Support? Here’s What You Can Do

To cushion the effects of the pandemic, the Malaysian government has introduced a list of measures for Malaysians affected by the outbreak. If you are one of the unfortunate many to be out of a job, check out these aids to see if you qualify:

1. Cash Aid

Get RM500 or RM600 one-off payments if you are an e-hailing driver or your job is one that relies on tourism such as taxi drivers, tourist bus drivers, tour guides etc.

Get RM1,000 or RM1,600 in cash for families whose monthly household income is RM8,000 and below. Household incomes of RM4,000 and below will get RM1,600 in cash aid and household income between RM4,001-RM8,000 will get a cash aid of RM1,000.

RM500 or RM800 in cash for individuals who are single Malaysians aged 21 and above, earning RM4,000 and below per month. Incomes of RM2,000 and below will get RM800 and those who make RM2,001-RM4,000 will get RM500.

2. Employee Provident Fund (EPF)

Withdraw up to RM500 every month from your EPF Account 2, starting 1 April 2020. All EPF contributors must be below 55 years old to be eligible.

3. Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR)

Exemption of rental payment for six months. The aid is open to all Malaysians who are under the PPR scheme.

For full details, check this info packet from the government.

Other commercial aids include deferment for automatic payment and for loans and financing payments starting from 1 April 2020 for a period of six months for HSBC, Maybank, Hong Leong Bank, CIMB, and Citibank. Do check the financial institutions’ respective websites for the full terms and conditions.

Personal loans also provide great help in emergency situations, but must be managed wisely. Besides paying loans on time, cutting expenditures to settle loans, and to check credit scores constantly, here are other tips on how to manage personal loans better. You can also consider browsing some of the personal loans available on CompareHero.my here.

Related: 4 Tips to Ace That Personal Loan

Keep Your Head Up, Don’t Be Discouraged

What are the job prospects in 2020? Unfortunately, not so good. Although 2020 looks set to be a tough year for the job market industry, and unemployment rates are increasing, the economy is still finding its footing in this volatile market marred by unprecedented events and circumstances. 

What goes down will eventually and surely go back up, the challenge is how long it takes to get there. Jobseekers, seasoned or fresh grads, don’t be discouraged, continue to look for jobs, and fight the good fight – we just need to ride this situation out together. It’s also promising to see various initiatives by both the government and private entities to help combat the financial crisis that we are facing in the country. 

Now is the time to tighten our budget, and be open to any opportunities as much as we can. We can do this, Malaysians!

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8 Side Jobs for Malaysians to Earn Extra Money During CMCO

  • By CompareHero.my
  • May 21, 2020

Malaysians are on the lookout for gig, part-time and freelance jobs to earn extra side income or supplementary money during (CMCO or PKPB) Conditional Movement Control Order, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are 8 jobs (freelancing, online tutoring, delivery jobs, dropshipping, small online business, etc) to help you to stay afloat and survive financially.

It’s a tough time for a lot of us, and chances are, you’ve had it rough too.

Perhaps more than ever, more Malaysians are looking for side jobs to earn side income during the Movement Control Order (MCO) to help bolster their finances. Even before the MCO began, certain industries in Malaysia were already sailing through rocky waters. Now, weeks after the “#dudukrumah lockdown”, more and more businesses have announced pay cuts and, even worse, complete closure resulting in many Malaysians losing their jobs.

According to an article from The Edge Markets, Bank Negara forecasts 2020’s unemployment rate to be at a staggering 4%, while the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) has projected a rate of 9.2% as the country’s worst-case scenario.

As push comes to shove, we face a grim reality: rising unemployment, and a potential recession.

But here’s the most unfortunate thing. Despite rice bowls getting smaller, our commitments stay the same. While some have amassed a wealth of savings to last them till they get a new job, the rest of us… can only wish to be half that lucky.

So, what can we do in times like these? The answer: side jobs. (Or supplementary jobs, part-time jobs, extra income jobs, moonlight jobs, side gigs, side hustlin’ – whichever word fits your vocabulary.)

They may not bring in the same kinda moolah, but if it lessens the impact, why not? If you’re looking to ease your financial burdens during this difficult time, here are some ways to earn money from side income jobs.

1. E-commerce seller/dropshipper

Great if you have: Entrepreneurial dreams, basic trading sense, VERY itchy hands. (Not literally… Go see a doctor otherwise.)

Important to note: E-commerce is all about speed and consistency. Be prepared to do things faster than a fengtau Myvi on the NKVE.

Chances are, you’ve been browsing through shopping platforms like Lazada and Shopee endlessly during this dudukrumah MCO. But these platforms have always been at the centre of it all, pandemic or not. It’s clear that e-commerce is the present, and the future. So if you need something to supplement your income now, why not try to sell online through an e-commerce store?

Literally all your resources are free for you to use. A few Lazada sellers that we have spoken to told us that signups are free, and they also enjoy zero commissions on their sale. All they mainly need to do is to source the items, put them up for sale, respond fast to queries, and ship out their items ASAP once they get purchased.

Now, if you’re a big-time seller, chances are you’d have a warehouse to store all your stocks. But what about a small online business?

Most small-time sellers are actually everyday people like you and I. In fact, a significant chunk of them don’t even have the actual stock with them! This, my friend, is something called dropshipping.

In a very simplified way, you basically find suppliers with the kinda stuff you want to sell, get an agreement with them, and post up their products on whichever shopping platform you’re on. When the customer buys from you, you then place the order to your supplier, and when it reaches you, you send it out to the buyer immediately.

This cuts out the need for a warehouse and any capital expenses needed to purchase the stocks, making it one of the most flexible ways to sell online. Here are some sites to get you started: Kumoten, SaveValue2u, SaleHoo.

Of course, this comes with some downside – you’ll be fighting with a whole bunch of other dropshippers, so you’ll need to find ways to compete. You can read more here.

Same item, different seller. To succeed in dropshipping, you need to outdo others in pricing and reputation.

On another hand, you can also consider being a seller with stock from outright purchases. (Basically buying them at a bulk rate for you to store and sell.) While this requires some upfront investment, it does have its perks. Items can reach customers in mere days, making them a LOT more attractive to buyers.

2. Freelance social media manager

Great if you have: An addiction to social media (including TikTok!), a sense of how to speak to the internet crowd.

Important to note: Beware of the incoming 4823623 comments saying “PM”.

If you had told us 10 years ago that we could make money from posting cat photos on Facebook, we’d call it bluff. Now, more than ever, social media is essential for businesses regardless of size. Giant conglomerate or taman cafe, SMEs or even pasar malam stalls, everyone depends on social media to connect with their existing and potential customers.

If a pasar malam apam balik stall can run its own FB page…

And that’s super timely for our current #dudukrumah situation too! While the world is at a standstill with everyone staying at home, there’s one place where everyone’s at: online. Whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, or anywhere else that’s social, this is the easiest and fastest way for businesses to market themselves.

But making the most out of social media can be tricky, though. It was built for everyday people like you and me, so for brands to blend in and harness the power of these giant platforms isn’t exactly easy. For starters, learn the language and behaviour of social media users, and remember that each platform has its own culture and nuances. Learn to strum the chords right, and you’ll be surprised how much a business can gain from just a single post.

However, to really succeed, you’ll need to understand more than just postings. You can expect that space to be oversaturated with a million and one businesses using these platforms to attract eyes. You have to find ways to stand out, and you may have to eventually depend on advertising on whichever platform you’re looking at. This itself is a skill to learn in its entirety, but there are plenty of free classes and guides for you to familiarise yourself.

Related: Social Influencers: How Do They Make Money from YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram

3. Home baking and cooking

Great if you have: All the necessary kitchen tools, fool-proof recipes, gifted hands, and Chef Two skills (cause there can only be one Chef Wan).

Important to note: This requires you to be super responsible – make sure all your ingredients are new, and keep good hygiene habits all the time. Nobody wants hair in their kuih!

With Raya coming up and, well, people generally depending on food to survive, there’s always an opportunity to earn some extra income through baking and cooking.

If you’ve been told your culinary skills are pretty good, consider baking cakes, cookies, and various other stuff for sale. They’re especially popular during the festivities, where many will buy pretty-looking treats as gifts for their loved ones.

With so many free recipes online, you’ll never run short of ideas to bake or cook

Selling home-cooked food may not be the best option for now, since these need to be consumed immediately and many Malaysians are now cooking from home. You could consider selling frozen meals (FYI you’ll also need to consider chilled delivery for that), or providing simple dinner catering services for residents in your neighbourhood.

You’ll also need to figure out how to market and deliver your products so your customers’ tummies are satisfied on time. Learn a thing or two about advertising on Facebook and Instagram, and find third-party delivery people to help out. Otherwise, try selling on shopping platforms with end-to-end solutions like Lazada, Shopee, or even Kravve (small specialty food platform for local home-bakers and cooks).

4. Personal shopper

Great if you have: Patience, strong legs, ample time, Roman gladiator bravery (to go into battle).

Important to note: Before you take up the job, make sure that there’s trust and a clear agreement with payments and expectations.

With about a month to go before the end of the CMCO (provided it doesn’t get extended again), personal shopping services may still be in demand. Exactly like its name, this is where you help someone shop for stuff, saving them the time and effort of having to queue up.

If you could be paid to do this, why not?

This side income job during the coronavirus pandemic is especially useful when it comes to the elderly, or those who don’t have transportation to move around.

In an interview with NST, a young chap from Johor told the daily that he was affected when the MCO was first announced. Needing to pay the rent, he marketed himself as a runner and offered shopping services for people in his vicinity. His quick thinking has helped him in his finances, and we’re optimistic it can help you too.

Beyond this, personal shopping has also been used for warehouse sales and phone launches, where shoppers would typically queue and ‘battle it out’ to get the item that their client wants. Then, depending on where the client is based, they’ll either deliver or ship it out to them at an extra cost.

If you’re going down this route, you can also take advantage of credit card rewards. While you shop for someone else, pay with your credit card and keep the rewards for yourself!

Just remember, in doing a risky job like this, you have to also make sure that you do your part to maintain social distancing and to follow the proper SOP in place. If ever possible, get screened from time to time to ensure that you’re not infected – or worse – infecting the people around you.

Read also: Ultimate Guide On Using Credit Cards Responsibly

5. Virtual tutor / Online tutor

Great if you have: Deep knowledge in a certain area, patience in teaching newbies, level 100000 internet and concall setup.

Important to note: To be fair to whoever you’re teaching, you should prepare a syllabus and teaching materials that will truly benefit your student.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, there are some opportunities if you know where to look. As schools are still closed till further notice, parents are finding themselves having to tutor their own children while juggling their own daily lives.

If you’re academically inclined, can easily familiarise yourself with the syllabus, and have a teaching method that works, you could always consider spending your time as a virtual tutor for students.

Err… just make sure you have patience with your students and the internet connection!

Not keen on teaching Math, English, Sejarah, and all that? Then why not venture into other areas which you’re good in? There are many adults looking to learn new skills, and this has made sites like Udemy thrive in the past few years. Consider sharing your experience with like-minded folk, because besides the income, it’s always a lot more rewarding to know that you’re adding value to the lives of others.

It goes without saying that you can also consider something a little more physical too, like a virtual personal trainer or nutritionist. Just make sure you have the right information to help your clients!

You might also be interested in: A Look at Private Tutoring Rates vs Group Tutoring Rates

6. Virtual assistant

Great if you have: An internet connection and basic know-how of certain things.

Important to note: To do the job well, you have to be able to get the brief correctly. Don’t go doing jobs in a confused state – you’ll definitely end up with mistakes!

If you’re a Jack of all Trades, you’d be surprised to learn just how helpful you can be to many people. We’ve realised that entrepreneurs and micro-SMEs (regardless of industries!) are always in need of some help in building their business, and while they may have some funding, they may not actually want to utilise that to commit to hiring an in-house staff.

So… why not turn to contractors like virtual assistants?

The ability to help others from the comfort of your own home? Yes, please!

Virtual assistants are essentially anyone who offers a service to another person in exchange for a fee that they both agree upon. From handing out flyers to helping run errands at the banks, walking dogs to mending the garden, these little tasks may be mundane to do, but at the same time pretty rewarding too.

Of course, there are jobs that you can do from even behind your laptops instead of actually going out. Basic data entry, proof-reading, uploading sales products for e-commerce sellers, bookkeeping, minor accounting… the list is endless.

Starting isn’t difficult, either. The easiest way around is to hop onto a platform to help connect you to tasks (e.g. iTask).

7. Freelancer

Great if you have: An internet connection, all the tools you need, a diligent character, and the ability to get the job done correctly.

Important to note: Read the last part of the line above!

This is kinda like #6, except that you’re the one who gets all the commissions to yourself. But this also means that you’ve gotta go get your own clients!

If you’ve honed your skills for years, and are confident enough to add value to a new employer, then why not offer your skills for “rent”?

Don’t be too disheartened if you’ve been let go – if you have a skill, you have a chance of making use of it.

Freelance developers, e-store builders, writers, translators, designers, accountants… much like in point #6, this list is endless too. But one thing’s for sure – as a freelancer, the expectations are high.

You must be quick to adapt and be extremely good at the job. Why? That’s because your employers who look for freelancers do not typically have the time to train or vet through work. They need the job done, and they need the job done fast.

So… where do you start? You can always auction yourself on platforms like Mudah, Upwork, and Fiverr, or if you’re bold enough, go directly to an entrepreneur or a business owner who may be in the lookout for professional help. (Psst – hang around at co-working office spaces and you’ll likely find a budding entrepreneur who could use a hand!)

8. Delivery person

Great if you have: Legs! But not actual legs, rather actual wheels for roads.

Important to note: How much you earn depends on the company that you’re tied to. You may want to consider weighing all options and reading reviews from existing delivery people.

Yes, yes, we know this is the most obvious supplementary job out there, but we just had to add this in!

The MCO is the ultimate push for businesses to go online, and that even goes for your humble pak cik stalls too. This has created an incredible demand for items (including food) to be delivered, and this will only continue even after the MCO is lifted.

Once people start enjoying the convenience of having things delivered to their doorsteps, it’s… kinda hard to get back to the past.

With the MCO, there are even more parcels to deliver by the hour!

If you want things done the easy way, consider popular platforms like Grab, FoodPanda, Lalamove, and Goget where all the structures are already in place for you to quickly hop on board and start delivering.

The best thing? If you like people, then “deliver people”. (Basically e-hailing, but within CMCO guidelines please!) If you don’t like them, just choose to deliver parcels or food! Err… just don’t eat it on the way.

Ultimately, find something you know you can deliver… and do it the best you can

Whether you’re being paid by a company or by your next-door neighbour, it’s always important to first ensure that you have the ability to deliver according to what’s expected of you.

As you maneuver around this new normal, it’s more important now than ever to give your 200% so that you have a chance of grabbing those darn lemons life keeps throwing at you, and turning them into lemonade.

Likewise, you also have to give 200% in keeping yourself – and the people around you – safe. If the job requires you to be outdoors, be on-the-move, to meet new people in person, or anything of that nature, remember to follow the SOPs that have been in place to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus.

If ever possible, get screened from time to time to ensure that you’re not carrying the virus by surprise. With patience and perseverance, we can beat this virus together as a nation.

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12 Ways to Celebrate Your CMCO Hari Raya Alone (And Still Have a Great Time)

  • By CompareHero.my
  • May 20, 2020

Malaysian Muslims may have to celebrate Hari Raya alone or away from home due to the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) or PKPB. Here are 12 exciting things you can do to make your Raya more meaningful.

Traditionally, Hari Raya is regarded as a time of gathering for Muslims, who would open the doors of their homes to all people, regardless of religion, race, and background.

This year, however, many Malaysians may have to celebrate Hari Raya alone or away from home due to the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) or PKPB, enforced by the Malaysian Ministry of Health to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Some parts of the CMCO rule include strict social distancing measures and a ban on interstate travel. This will likely affect other religious practices and sentimental traditions associated with Raya such as Aidilfitri prayers, customary salam – the act of seeking forgiveness from parents or the elderly, Duit Raya distribution and the Raya feast.

Though it may seem disheartening at first, being by yourself on a special day like Raya may not be the worst thing in the world because there’s still a ton that can be done by yourself!

To help all Malaysians affected by these measures, we’ve compiled a list of fun things to do by yourself (or with others if within CMCO guidelines), on this auspicious day.

1. Cook up a storm for friends

If all you’ve known to cook in your entire adult life is Maggi, now is the perfect opportunity to take the initiative to learn more sophisticated, staple Raya delicacies! Host a Raya lunch for a limited number of invitees (within CMCO guidelines) while practicing social distancing. Here’s a playlist of Raya recipes that are super easy to follow.

Alternatively, you can even bake goodies for friends in the same situation, and pay them a “drive through” visit to send them your cookies.

2. Bond with mom (or dad) virtually

Get your parents to teach you how to make their signature rendang or any other dish via video call. With the advent of technology, now you can cook side by side with them either through WhatsApp video, FaceTime, Skype, and more. There is no excuse not to connect.

Still don’t have a fully functioning kitchen as an adult? Perhaps now would be the time to change that. Here are some great deals you can jump on when shopping for new appliances.

3. Treat yourself!

Celebrating Raya alone? No worries. Stock up your kitchen with the best Raya cookies and sweet treats like Onde-Onde, Tepung Pelita and more. Self love goes a long way, and if devouring a jar of Raya cookies all by yourself helps you feel good, then why not?

Not sure where to find your favourite Raya snacks? Fully utilize food delivery services such as Foodpanda and Grab, with the latter offering RM5 off for two deliveries when you send care packages or much-needed donated essentials via GrabExpress.

4. Hold Aidilfitri prayers at home

Though some states have allowed congregational prayers in the mosques, these are limited to a certain number of worshippers.

Kedah recently announced that it will allow all mosques in the state to perform the Aidilfitri prayers on the first day of Raya on the condition that attendance is limited to 12 people.

Rules vary by state – it’s a no for Sabah, strictly limited in Perak and Johor, both limiting prayers to 12 people including the mosque imam and employees.

Be sure to check on the status of your state. We still recommend praying at home though, because high chances are you won’t be able to snag a spot on time. The safest choice is just to hold prayers at home.

5. Do some self-reflection

Hari Raya is not only a time for celebration, but also reflection. List down all your ups and downs, and blessings in life so far.

Whether 2020 – up till this point of the year at least – has been a positive or negative year remains to be seen, but it helps to put life into perspective with a bit of introspection. Self-reflection can even make you happier and more successful in life.

For triathlete Craig Alexander, a five-time Ironman World Champion and all around inspiring human being, self-reflection helped boost his confidence and performance.

Other plus points when one self-reflects include improved self-awareness, added perspective, enhanced confidence, heightened response to stress, and a refined  level of learning. These are traits that are typically found in highly successful people.

6. Have a guilt-free Raya movie marathon

Rewatch the whole Harry Potter series or the Lord of the Rings trilogy while in bed in your pajamas, because why not? Raya is the best time to get that much needed rest from the hustle and bustle of life by just snuggling in bed.

Get into the Raya mood with some Malay film classics like Pendekar Bujang Lapok, Do Re Mi and Ana-ku Sazali. P/S: We found a full-length P. Ramlee movie someone uploaded on YouTube!

You can also head over to iflix to enjoy modern hits like Mami Jarum, Cinta Kolestrol, and Lady Boss. They have a broad set of Malay film options too.

7. Create your own Raya atmosphere

Jazz up your living room with colourful fairy lights, ketupat decor and anything with the colour green. The Raya atmosphere can be anything you want it to be, and sometimes that doesn’t have to be a house full of people!

If you’re shopping for Raya decor, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to maximize your returns by shopping with credit cards. For instance, use a Maybank credit card on your Raya essential needs, and stand a chance to win RM50 cashback. 

Also read: Ultimate Guide on Using Credit Cards Responsibly 

8. Get creative with your Raya photos

You don’t need to play by the rules. Instead of taking the usual, boring screencap of everyone during a video call, use your Photoshop skills (even the basics would do) to add extra life and fun to your Raya photos.

For instance, Photoshop everyone’s faces into a fun portrait and have it printed and framed as a reminder of the unique, social distancing-filled Raya you celebrated this year.

9. Karaoke (with yourself!)

What makes Raya, well Raya? The music. Raya wouldn’t be complete without it, and there is absolutely no shame in playing (and singing) your favourite Raya tunes out loud – alone. Crank up the volume if you want, but still be mindful of your neighbors. Check out this awesome Spotify playlist to accompany you this Raya!

10. Make video conferencing more fun

With video conferencing calls pretty much becoming the norm in today’s new normal, it’s easy to run out of things to talk about. Switch it up with some new challenges or games to boost both interaction and the amusement factor. The most important aspect is to get everyone on the call involved so it doesn’t end up being a dull, “how are you doing?” catch up session.

Some tips – make sure you have solid wifi or data. Though video conferencing tools are amazing alternatives, the overall effectiveness of these platforms still depends on the network it’s connected to. Check your connection a few days before Raya to avoid the annoying lag. P/S: You can also earn some Duit Raya in the form of Boost credit when you spend a minimum of RM35 on Yoodo data.

11. Get ready to go high tech with your duit raya

Share the love by giving to family and friends this Hari Raya. Since most Malaysians will be celebrating this Raya apart, find out how to send e-Duit Raya to others in our ultimate Raya guide.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri also confirmed that Muslims can fulfill their Zakat Fitrah, a form of religious obligation where Muslims donate to charity online as part of the new normal.

Muslims can pay online via the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP)’s website, or via commercial means such as Maybank2u and Maybank QRPay . It’s not only safer, but also more convenient.

On the topic of giving, get new household items for your parents as well – new bed sheets, new curtains, new kitchenware, or a new carpet – and deliver it to them. Check our ultimate Raya guide for the latest shopping promotions. Though you may not be able to be with your parents physically, it’s assuring to know that you’ve done something to make their Raya feel more comfortable.

12. Practice mindfulness… or just get a good, long rest (really!)

It may seem like a crazy idea, but there is no harm in just sitting on your balcony or porch alone while enjoying nature this Raya.

Spending some time alone can be good for one’s mental and emotional health. Block all the noise and distractions and just focus on being present in the moment.

A lot has transpired since the start of the year – the spread of a deadly virus and a potential global recession, among many other crazy events. If you have extra alone time on your hands this Raya, use it for some much-needed rest and relaxation. Just don’t do anything.

You can also unwind, but still keep yourself preoccupied with more chill activities like reading a book, painting or journaling. Use this rare opportunity for more therapeutic and creative activities. Who knows, you might discover a new side to yourself this Raya?

Just because you’re alone, doesn’t mean you have to be lonely

That’s right, friends. Though it may seem uneventful to be spending Hari Raya by yourself, a little reflection helps put things into perspective, and will remind you that it’s not actually the worst situation to be in.

Whether you are spending Raya alone by circumstance or by choice, you can still have a wonderful time filled with joy and meaning. Heck – make the most of all your circumstances in life, be it good or bad. Your future self will thank you for it.

Lastly, as a reminder to all Malaysians, please maintain social distancing and strict hygiene while celebrating Raya this year. With patience and perseverance, we can beat this virus together as a nation.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri (in advance) from us at CompareHero Malaysia!

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