KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 841 Malaysians are stranded in 20 countries around the world as a result of the travel restrictions imposed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was revealed by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar in a statement today.
So far, India has recorded the highest number of stranded Malaysians at 274, followed by 209 in Uzbekistan and 160 in Morocco.
A total of 43 Malaysians are stranded in Egypt followed by 28 in Saudi Arabia, and 26 each in Bangladesh and Sweden.
The nations that follow on the list are 19 in Spain, 11 in Austria, and eight respectively in Montenegro and Finland.
Seven Malaysians are stranded in Ukraine followed by five respectively in Switzerland and Norway, four in Maldives, three in Poland as well as two in Hungary, and one each in Lithuania, Panama and Ecuador.
“All Malaysians stranded were provided with consular services. This includes advise on matters regarding temporary accommodation, alternative flight routes and other assistance,” Kamarudin said.
“We have also managed to bring 116 Malaysians back home. A total of 113 of them were from Morocco while another three have been repatriated from Maldives.”
He echoed Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who had earlier said that the movement control order does not bar Malaysians from re-entering Malaysia.
Hishammuddin said this following a viral video of an officer from the Indian authorities telling Malaysians stranded in Tiruchirappalli International Airport in South India for days that the nation barred its citizens from going home.
“We are asking the stranded to remain calm and keep in contact with the Malaysian mission as well as prevent the spread of Covid-19,” added Kamarudin.
He also urged Malaysians to register with the nearest Malaysian mission as soon as they were able to.