Making do without the rest of their loved ones

SIBU: Be thankful for small mercies, as the saying goes.

The Chinese New Year reunion dinner has often been a grand affair at the home of gym operator Lau Kah Yii, with over 20 people in attendance including his two brothers and their families.

This time, five people turned up for the annual gathering.

Besides Lau, there was his wife, his 83-year-old mother and his two sons aged 20 and 21. Other relatives could not make it due to travel restrictions.

“My younger brother is working in Singapore while my eldest brother is in the United States. This year, they and their family members, due to the state’s standard operating procedure (SOP), preferred not to fly home, ” he said.

According to the SOP set by the state disaster management committee, Sarawakians flying home from abroad need to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Sarawak, which is not under the nationwide movement control order, allows up to 20 people for the reunion dinner, which must be held at home. In the rest of the nation, the reunion dinner is limited to 15 family members living within a 10km radius.

“Every year, I would set out two tables for the reunion dinner but this year, only one table was needed, ” said Lau, 56.

His eldest son, who is a psychiatrist working in Kuala Lumpur, also did not return home due to the travel restrictions.

Still, Lau is grateful to have had the chance to feast together with those near and dear to him.

Lawyer Robert Chew, 68, said he also had a smaller scale reunion dinner as his two brothers and their families were abroad.

“Every year, I used to have at least 15 people for the reunion dinner at my home. This time, there were only three of us – my wife and 91-year-old mother, ” he said.

His two sons who are in Melbourne, Australia, could not make it back.

“This year, most families held a smaller reunion dinner. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most people prefer not to take the risk or endure the inconvenience of flying home from overseas, ” he said.