Malaysian workers hope Singapore border will reopen
Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the closing of the Malaysia-Singapore border due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement of the implementation of the Movement Control Order by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on March 18 last year to stop the spread of the virus had a huge impact on Malaysian workers who commute to Singapore.
A check at the Causeway yesterday found that it was mostly deserted, with only heavy vehicles carrying cargo to Singapore queuing to enter the republic.
For Shahruddin Haeal Helmy Mohd Noh, 35, the stroke of midnight on March 18 last year changed his life.
The father of two said it was the worst moment of his life and would always be remembered by Malaysians working in Singapore.
“It is still fresh in my mind the moment the prime minister announced the closure of the border for two weeks.
“We all rushed back to Malaysia so we could pack all necessary items to bring to Singapore. I only had time to send a WhatsApp message to my wife asking her to prepare everything that I need to stay in Singapore for two weeks.
“That afternoon, I called my employer to ask about accommodation. Alhamdulillah, they said it had been arranged and we only have to be back in Singapore before midnight,” said Shahruddin who works as a delivery man.
From that day, life in a foreign country began for Shahruddin.
Though he had worked in Singapore for years, he had never lived there as he always returned to Malaysia after work.
“Two weeks turned to a month, then two months. Before we knew it, it was Ramadan and our hopes to return for Hari Raya faded. It was the first time we spent Hari Raya in another country.”
With the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, Shahruddin said he hoped to be able to return to commuting to Singapore for work soon.
“It will at least reduce the cost and period of quarantine as we will be able return to Malaysia under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement scheme.”
For facilities executive Siti Nur Amalina Omar, 36, her only hope was for the border to reopen.
She said if that was not possible, she hoped Malaysian workers who have been vaccinated could be given leeway to return with a quarantine period of one week.
“At the moment, a two-week quarantine costs S$2,150, not including the swab test.
“If full border reopening is not possible, then we hope for a partial reopening. We will be happy if we can return every six months.
“It has been a year since the border closure. We are really hoping for some good news,” said Siti Nur Amalina, who has not been home since March 18 last year.