Wan Junaidi: Sarawakians stranded in Nigeria heading home via special flight on June 22

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Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

SIBU: Sarawakians stranded in Nigeria will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as they will finally get to fly home using a flight arranged by the Malaysia High Commission (MHC).

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he had gotten in touched with Malcolm Goh, one of those stranded, and that the group will take a flight to Dubai on June 22 before taking another connecting flight on June 24 to Kuala Lumpur.

He also pointed out that there are 24,000 Malaysians stranded in 24 countries, and the government is trying its best to bring these Malaysians home.

“I have got in touch with one of the people (stranded in Nigeria) – Malcolm Goh.

“The total number of Malaysians on this flight is 33 people as of June 19, and there might be few more later,” he said when contacted today.

He pointed out that Goh and his colleagues were among those who would be heading home on the first flight out of Nigeria to Malaysia.

That said, he believed not all Malaysians would be able to take this flight due to short notice, adding that some are located far away from Lagos and can’t mobilise in time for the flight.

Nonetheless, MHC is still looking into another flight on June 25, from Douala, Cameroon to Lagos, and Kuala Lumpur for the remaining Malaysians, Wan Junaidi added.

The Santubong MP  said the MHC under the instruction from Putrajaya through Wisma Putra is working hard to find ways and means to care and to bring Malaysians home.

“The matter is being discussed from time to time at the Ministerial Committee on Covid-19 MCO meeting.

“At my request, when I raised up the issue of 56 Malaysians stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, the prime minister directed that the Committee to work together with the MoF (Ministry of Finance) to come up with a solution.

“Several arrangements were made and those who could not catch an arrangement due to the host country lockdown and procedure could get on the alternative flight to Malaysia,” he said.

He explained the process to bring home the Malaysians stranded overseas was cumbersome, involving air clearance, protocols, landing rights and others as it was not a scheduled flight.

Vietnam, he noted, was going through the same process in its attempt to bring home its own people stranded in some of the African countries, he noted.

In fact, he added there were already arrangements made prior to the flight which Goh and others will be boarding.

He said that there were two alternatives – an arrangement made with Turkey and that with Vietnam (to bring home Malaysians stranded in Nigeria).

“With those kind of arrangements, if one plane is not enough then, there is another flight later on – it is just a matter of timing,” Wan Junaidi said.

“Rest assured that everyone is working around-the-clock to ensure the welfare of the Malaysians are well taken care of,” he said.

He revealed that of the 56 Malaysians stranded in Nigeria, 13 of them were Sarawakians who mostly worked in the oil and gas industry.

Goh, one of the 13 Sarawakians stranded in Nigeria is keeping his fingers crossed that everything will go well as he gets ready to fly home.

The 39-year-old from Kuching said he was elated to finally be able to return home.

“Of course, feeling great, but having kinda mixed feelings as I’m (not) on the flight yet. So, there are still some worries there to be honest,” he told The Borneo Post via WhatsApp.

“Thank you Dato Sri (Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar), Wisma Putra, the MHC in Abuja (Nigeria) and the Sarawak government for the assistance in bringing us back home.”

He added it was his 135th day in Nigeria, of which 60 days were spent working and 75 days waiting without pay.

Goh said they were 33 Malaysians so far scheduled to board the flight on June 22, but added that there might be more later.

“So far, I confirmed that 12 Sarawakians have gotten their tickets including me,” he revealed.

Flights are covered by employers for most of the oil and gas workers as it was in their contract, he said.

Goh is a subsea inspection engineer on this trip and was an offshore diver for the past 12 years.

He had said that while in Nigeria, they were well taken care of by their employer.

According to Goh, the other Sarawakians stranded in the country were from different companies and worked in different places.

“I know some are from Sibu, Kapit and Julau, mostly working in the oil and gas industry,” he said in an earlier interview.

The issue of the ten Sarawakians being stranded in Nigeria came to light when Goh pleaded with the Malaysian government for help getting home on Facebook.