Straight to see his grandson

Happy trails: Mutalib (holding his granddaughter) at the Juru rest area on his way to Kelantan to visit his grandson. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

BUTTERWORTH: Longing for his one-year-old grandson in Kelantan, a retired civil servant jumped at the chance to make a trip to the east coast once the government gave the green light for interstate travel.

“It is good news for us. It has been quite a while since we saw him, ” said Abdul Mutalib Abdon, 65.

“I told my wife that we are going to make a trip there, ” he said when met at the rest area in Juru.

Mutalib, who is from Pokok Sena, Alor Setar, said he would be at his son’s house in Kelantan for two days before making a trip back to Kedah.

“Our visit is not a holiday. We just want to see our grandson, ” he said, adding that he wanted to see the boy during Hari Raya but interstate travel was not allowed then.

For this trip, Mutalib said he kept reminding his family members that the Covid-19 infection was still a threat and that they had to maintain cleanliness and social distancing rules while in Kelantan.

A businessman from Sungai Petani took the opportunity to go to travel to settle some car problems.

Saifulnizam Hashim, 39, said prior to the movement control order (MCO), his car that was driven by his sibling was involved in an accident and was towed to a mechanic in Taiping.

“My brother was using my car at the time. When the accident happened in Gerik my six children were with him at the time.

“Luckily nothing happened to them, ” he said.

He said he had to go to the mechanic there as he needed to retrieve some documents and belongings kept in the car.

Penang Traffic and Public Order Department chief Supt Wan Shaharuddin Wan Omar said the volume of traffic was expected to increase this weekend after the government lifted the ban on interstate travel.

The interstate travel ban was lifted under the recovery MCO, which started yesterday.

However, this does not apply to those staying in enhanced MCO localities.