KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 2,298 Malaysians are still stranded in 47 countries because of flight cancellations and travel restrictions, deputy foreign minister Kamarudin Jaffar said today.
He said his ministry had so far brought home 4,811 Malaysians from several affected countries.
“The biggest group of Malaysians still stranded overseas was in India (1,016 people), followed by Thailand (172), New Zealand (136), Pakistan (128), Vietnam (122), Saudi Arabia (83), Australia (77), the Philippines (66), Sri Lanka (65) and Nepal (43),” he said.
He said the Malaysians had gone on short-term visits such as holidays and to attend to family matters.
Kamarudin said two Malindo Air chartered flights brought home 270 Malaysians from Chennai and Trichy, India, today.
Three other chartered flights from New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are expected to arrive on Sunday and Monday. As of 5pm today, 2,567 Malaysians stranded in India have been flown home,” he said.
Kamarudin said Malaysians quarantined by Indian authorities were involved in a tabligh rally held at Markaz Nizamudin on March 10-13.
Kamarudin said 66 people arrived from Nepal this evening. They comprised 43 Malaysians, 22 Singaporeans and a United Kingdom citizen (partner of a Malaysian), while 115 Malaysians stranded in Vietnam were scheduled to arrive at KLIA later.
‘’The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to ensuring that the welfare, safety and health of Malaysians who are still stranded abroad will continue to be a priority,” he said.
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