Malaysians in China: A slight delay, but they will be home soon, says ambassador

This photo taken on February 1, 2020 shows delivery men wearing protective face masks at a compound with a banner reminding people to wear masks and wash hands in Beijing. - AFP pic

BEIJING: "There might be a slight delay, but rest assured that you will get on the plane home," says Malaysian Ambassador to China, Raja Datuk Nushirwan Zainal Abidin to Malaysians to be repatriated from Wuhan.

He said while he and his team have made all efforts and done the necessary work to ensure a smooth repatriation, it was a complicated process.

"Today is the day to bring the Malaysians home. Our officers in Wuhan will keep you updated on the latest development.

"Stay calm and be patient, and make sure that you can be reached at any time now," he said in a message sent to a group chat, set up to keep in touch with fellow Malaysians in Hubei province and to facilitate the repatriation process.

A total of 137 Malaysians, their foreign spouses and children are scheduled to fly home from Monday (Feb 3).

However, Nushirwan said there might be a delay, in view of the situation in Wuhan now.

He also reminded the people to stay safe and maintain hygiene during the coronavirus outbreak.

“This is the time for us to show that we are anak Malaysia with strong mentality and united," he added.

On the work progress, Nushirwan said the six-man team from the embassy would continue to coordinate with the local authorities on the matter.

He said the name list of the 137 people had been submitted to the Chinese authorities.

Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province, was under a lockdown following the outbreak of the deadly pneumonia virus that has claimed 361 lives in China.

Of the deaths, 350 were reported in Hubei, including 265 in Wuhan city.