Malcolm Goh
SIBU: Thirty-three Malaysians who were flown home from Nigeria using a special flight arranged by the Malaysia High Commission (MHC) have landed safely in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 4pm today.
Malcolm Goh, who was among the 12 Sarawakians aboard the flight was elated to have finally returned home and sighed a huge relief.
“Thirty-three of us landed safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia.
“We thank you so much for the assistance and support from you all.
“I will be flying to Kuching tomorrow via a 2.50pm flight,” 39-year-old Goh said in a brief WhatsApp message to The Borneo Post today.
He had taken his swab test upon arrival at the airport and had tested negative for Covid-19.
He said passengers did their tests individually, and that he gotten his results first and checked into a hotel afterwards.
Goh is a subsea inspection engineer on this trip and was an offshore diver for the past 12 years.
The plight of Sarawakians stranded in Nigeria came to light when Goh pleaded with the Malaysian government for help getting home on Facebook.
During an earlier interview, he said he missed his family, the food, the people and the “aroma of the rainforest.”
Last Saturday, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he had gotten in touched with Goh, one of those stranded, and that the group would take a flight to Dubai on June 22 before taking another connecting flight on June 24 to Kuala Lumpur.
He had 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.
The Santubong MP said the MHC under instructions from Putrajaya through Wisma Putra was 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,” Wan Junaidi said then.
He had revealed that of the 56 Malaysians stranded in Nigeria, 13 of them were Sarawakians who mostly worked in the oil and gas industry.