SEBERANG PERAI, April 28 — A total of 191 university students arrived back in Penang early this morning much to the joy of their parents after they were left stranded in their respective university hostels for over a month since the movement control order (MCO) was implemented.
Penang Police Chief Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan said the students from the central zone arrived at five drop-off points at the police district headquarters, district offices and Politeknik Balik Pulau early today.
He said 30 students arrived at the Northeast District police headquarters on the island, 33 at Politeknik Balik Pulau on the island, 59 at the Northern Seberang Perai District Office, 46 at the Central Seberang Perai District Office and 23 at the South Seberang Perai District police headquarters.
Sahabudin said more students will be brought home in batches and the same procedures will be followed to ensure the safety of the students and their parents.
One of the parents who had been waiting patiently for her son to arrive, Sarimah Che Man, said her son, Danial Hakim, had become lonely and stressed over the last few weeks while staying at his university hostel in the International Islamic University Malaysia.
She said he had tried to rush home right before the MCO but was unable to buy a bus ticket so he had to return to the hostel.
“He doesn’t have anyone there, no relatives, his cousin and sister are far away, I was so worried about how he was coping,” she said.
She is glad that his ordeal is finally over and that he is now coming home to stay until the MCO is lifted.
Another parent, Ishak Hamid, said he had told his son not to come back when the MCO was announced as he was worried about the crowd at the bus terminals.
“I am glad that he can finally come home now during Ramadan and they were safely brought home without any problems,” he said.
The students arrived in several buses at the various drop-off sites between 4am and 6am today.
