Family reunions priority for many

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians have said that reuniting with their loved ones would be the priority as compared to leisure activities once interstate travel is allowed to resume.

Similarly, in a poll conducted on The Star’s Facebook page and Twitter account, an overwhelming majority of respondents said they are eagerly awaiting the green-light to be given for them to be able to visit parents and family members.

RMAF Lt-Kol (Rtd) Rajinder Singh welcomed the decision to potentially allow interstate travel once 90% of the adult population are fully vaccinated.

“I will most probably return to Ipoh to visit my mother who is in her 80s. It’s been a while since the family paid her a visit,” said the 61-year-old who is residing here.

He also commended the decision made by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin which gave a forward overview of handling the pandemic.

“The current plan is conducive with a constructive assessment of the situation akin to what the military practices,” said Rajinder.

He added that the proposal to reopen Genting Highlands was good considering the positive response to the recently opened Langkawi travel bubble.

Civil engineer Seow Zhen Quan was excited by the prospect of finally being able to reunite with his family in Ipoh.

“It has been 10 months since I last saw them so having this opportunity will definitely put my heart at ease.

“I miss my mother’s cooking and am equally eager to frequent my usual haunts in Ipoh to make up for lost time,” said the 25-year-old who is based here.

Seow also said the public should take their own precautions before and after travelling to high risk areas by either proactively going for Covid-19 tests or self isolating to minimise the spread of the virus.

“This way, the rakyat will be able to really implement the #kitajagakita saying,” he added.

On Twitter, Azy (@Azy67376111) urged travellers to take precautions, especially when visiting elderly parents.

Azy encouraged travellers to get tested before embarking on interstate journeys as “it is not yet time to let our guard down”.

Personal trainer Muhammad Suhail Afandi was glad with the move to reopen state borders but said he would continue being cautious.

“If restrictions are lifted, I plan to travel in November to visit my parents and siblings in Balik Pulau, Penang as I last met them in June last year.

“Recreational activities will, however, take a backseat for now as there could possibly be large gatherings such as the incident at Sungai Pisang recently,” said the 28-year-old who is based here.

Engineer Andrew Ang Kian Siang was also looking forward to the potential implementation of interstate travel as his earlier plans were postponed due to the pandemic.

He added that strict adherence to the SOP was a must especially masking up, sanitising and physically distancing to minimise spreading or contracting the virus.

“The use of self-test kits would also be beneficial as we are moving towards an endemic stage and these tests can provide a crucial precautionary measure for would-be travellers,” said Ang.

Store operator Ellen Singku, 34, similarly expressed interest in visiting her parents in Sabah after not being able to see them since 2019.

“We initially planned a trip this April but this had to be cancelled.

“I really want to see my parents and get my children to visit their grandparents as well, so hopefully this will be possible in December,” she added.

Another Twitter user, Zain Abrams (@ZainAbrams), said he longs to visit family members and relatives whom he has not seen in close to two years due to the movement control orders that had been enforced.

Ending his comment with a sombre reminder, Abrams said he would also like to pay respects to acquaintances who have passed on due to Covid-19, adding that he would like to visit his close friends more as the future is unpredictable.