BUKIT KAYU HITAM – It was a tearful reunion for a mother and daughter at the Malaysia-Thailand border here after being separated for the past six months.
Noorasyikin Bunnawi, 31, could not control her emotions when she saw her mother, Siti Zubaidah Abdullah, 62, at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) here today.
The 31-year-old said her mother returned to a village in Trang, Thailand last October when Noorasyikin’s grandfather died.
“Since then, my mother could not return to Malaysia, as we had some bureaucratic problems. This is our longest time apart, because I have not been away for long from my mother since I was a child.”
Noorasyikin, who works as a nurse at a hospital in Shah Alam, Selangor, said she drove all the way here after her night shift just to welcome her beloved mother.
She said her mother has heart problems and was scheduled for an appointment at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on April 28.
“I am thankful that the immigration authorities allowed me to enter ICQS to welcome my mother due to her health issues.
“I’d like to thank the government for deciding to open the country’s borders and reuniting families such as ours.”
Meanwhile, Siti Zubaidah said she misses her three children and five grandchildren, who are all in Malaysia.
“Previously, I tried to apply to return to Malaysia several times, but could not get the relevant approvals.
“I am really waiting for this moment and really hope to be able to usher in Ramadan with my children and grandchildren in Malaysia.”
Today, Malaysia marks the reopening of its borders in an effort to transition into the endemic phase. – The Vibes, April 1, 2022
