JOHOR BARU, April 4 — The Johor Immigration Department is anticipating a higher number of Malaysians returning home from Singapore within these two weeks as the island-state closes schools and most of the workplaces for a month in a more stringent move to contain Covid-19 infection.
Its director Baharuddin Tahir said however, the department is more than ready to cope with the expected higher influx and all entry points into the state are operating as usual.
“We are expecting a higher number of returning Malaysians from April 1 to 14 compared to from March 18 to 31, as Singapore is implementing tighter measures, particularly for Malaysians working in the republic,” he said when contacted today.
Yesterday, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the island-state government would carry out tighter precautionary measures for a month to curb the spread of the Covid-19 infection which is on the increase in the republic.
He said among others, Singapore would shut down most of the workplaces, schools and pre-schools for a month, beginning this Tuesday (April 7).
Meanwhile, Bernama’s survey around Johor Causeway found that a small number of Malaysians have begun to make their way home by walking from the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar here today.
A college student Hubert Teo Jun Wei, 19, said he decided to return home in Taman Megah Ria in Masai here after finding out that the republic was tightening its precautionary measures in the fight against Covid-19.
“It is better for me to go home rather than staying in Singapore, just to be on the safe side,” said the digital marketing student who took about 20 minutes on foot to cross the Johor Causeway.
Another Malaysian who works at a restaurant in Tampines, Syafika Mohamad, 25, said she would discuss with her employer on whether she would have to return home or continue to work.
“The restaurant I work with is not involved in the shut down as it is part of the essential service,” she explained. — Bernama
