Johor causeway reopening, a relief for Malaysians

JOHOR BAHRU: The various accounts by Malaysians arriving from Singapore on Friday (April 1) added colour and joy, as well as brought back life at the Johor causeway with the re-opening of the country’s border, which was closed for more than two years since March 18, 2020.

It was a picture of solidarity, as they walked across the the Johor Causeway, with the sound of the Malaysian national anthem, "Negaraku”, echoing in the air, some, into the waiting arms of their loved ones as the clock struck midnight.

Single father, R. Suresh, 49, said the reunion with his four children was the most-awaited and joyful moment for him.

The reunion with his youngest son, John Damscene Rau, 20, at a petrol station near the exit of the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bukit Chagar, also stole the attention of the crowd gathered there.

"I am really happy, to be able to back to see my family. I thank the Malaysian government, police and the customs for our smooth return.

"They are doing a wonderful job (tonight). They guide us and treat us nicely,” he told reporters when met at a petrol station.

Suresh, who was among those who walked across the Johor Causeway from Singapore, said he had been waiting to return home.

"Two years living in the republic, with its high cost of living, made me miss home more. Now that I am back, I’m going to take my children for a holiday. We haven't gone on a holiday for a long time," said Suresh, who works as a human resource officer.

Meanwhile, Fajrul Rizal Abu Bakar, who had not returned home for two years since the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18, 2020, said the first thing he would do when he arrived would be to hug his parents.

"I really miss my mother’s cooking," said the 28-year-old who was among the first group stranded in Singapore when the MCO was implemented.

Fajrul Rizal said he did a live broadcast on Facebook while walking across the Causeway to provide a true picture of the situation as there were still some Malaysians who were still hesitant to return home because they were worried about the standard operating procedures (SOP).

"The government has done the best to enable us to return. Today we were able to be back and the process went smoothly," said Fajrul Rizal, who was from Pasir Gudang.

A Singaporean, Rosnah Din, 62, was overwhelmed with emotion to be able to finally meet her family members in Bukit Pasir, Muar.

"The last I met them was during Aidilfitri in 2019. Since the pandemic, we have family members both in the republic and in Malaysia who fell sick and died.

"It was sad that we could not visit our sick relatives and pay our last respect to family members who died.

"Now that we are given the opportunity to meet again, I do not want to miss it," said Rosnah, who lost three family members over the past two years.

On March 25, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, in a joint statement, said both countries had agreed to reopen their land borders for fully vaccinated travellers beginning April 1.

Malaysia and Singapore will also allow fully vaccinated travellers to cross the land borders without the need to take the Covid-19 pre-departure and arrival tests or be quarantined. - Bernama