KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar today said 354 Malaysians who found themselves stranded in Turkey will return home tomorrow.
He said the group comprised tourists or short-term visitors and those affected by restrictions imposed by Turkish authorities to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, in a telephone conversation with his counterpart yesterday, was informed that the Turkish government had approved a special flight from Malaysia to land in Istanbul.
“God willing, they (Malaysians stranded in Turkey) will depart tonight and are expected to arrive at 10.20am tomorrow. We pray that they will arrive safely and on schedule.
“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Turkish government for their good cooperation. May this cooperation and close relations between the two countries remain intact,” he said at a press conference broadcast live today.
Kamarudin said the government was also making efforts to bring home four Malaysians stranded in N’Djamena, Chad following the closure of N'Djamena airport from March 18 to April 25 in an attempt to curb the Covid—19 pandemic.
The four, he said, were representatives of the Malaysian Charity Foundation (Yayasan Amal Malaysia) who carried out the Al-Quran Wakaf distribution mission in the country and were due to return to Malaysia on March 19.
He added the Malaysian High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria commissioned to Chad, had been in constant contact with the group and had provided appropriate consular assistance.
Kamarudin said the Foreign Affairs Ministry was looking at ways to bring them home from Chad, which would include via a special rental aircraft, planned to bring home Malaysians from other African countries.
“The instability of the security situation, as well as the logistics problem, meant that traveling by road from N'Djamena, Chad to Abuja, Nigeria is not a viable option. The distance between the two cities is at least 1,200 kilometers.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry through the Malaysian Representatives will ensure the well-being of Malaysians stranded abroad.”