Seven stranded since start of Philippines lockdown back home
SIBU: Seven men arrived back here from the Philippines yesterday after being stranded for about three months due to Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Yong Li Zhang, Yong Jing Xiang, Law Pik Wang, Wong Tai An, Yong Han Yuan, Frankie Wong Soon Le and Thomas Kiung Teck King touched down at Sibu Airport around 2pm, and were welcomed by a political secretary to the chief minister Michael Tiang.
According to Jing Xiang, he was working as a salesman in the Philippines but resigned when the lockdown was implemented there in March.
“I tried many times to get a flight to Malaysia but every flight that I booked ended up being cancelled. I’m glad that there was finally a flight available to return back home,” said the 23-year-old.
Fellow returnee Tai An, 22, said he too had been unable
I tried many times to get a flight to Malaysia but every flight that I booked ended up being cancelled. I’m glad that there was finally a flight available to return back home.
Yong Jing Xiang
to secure a flight out and had been confined to a workers’ hostel since the lockdown in the Philippines.
He said he left for Manila to work for a China-based company there in November last year but resigned at the start of the lockdown. He was however unable to leave the country for home due to the cancelled flights.
“I managed to contact a member of a local Chinese press to highlight my plight, and the matter was brought to the attention of Tourism, Arts and Culture Assistant Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting.
“I was told that both state and