KUANTAN: After being stranded on campus for 45 days, Muhammad Hazamuddin Wan Hassan is finally home to spend the fasting month of Ramadan with his family in Tumpat, Kelantan, today.
The 25-year-old degree in Civil Engineering undergraduate from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) here was in the first batch of students from the campus to be allowed to return to their respective homes located in green zones in the east coast last night.
Hazamuddin said the past few weeks were filled with uncertainties whether he would be able to go home or be forced to continue to remain on campus.
"There are no words to describe the feeling I experienced when I returned home today. My family have been eagerly waiting for my return.
"I am grateful to the university, ministry (higher education) and the authorities who worked tirelessly to plan our journey home. Those chosen under the first phase had to undergo a strict process before being allowed to board the buses...it is always special to be home with the family," he said.
Meanwhile, Civil Engineering Technology faculty undergraduate Nurliyana Mohamad Azmi said she was touched by the efforts by the authorities to ensure a "smooth sailing" journey home by providing meals and beverages.
"It was well-planned and the authorities did a lot to ensure things were done accordingly. My family has been praying hard for me to return home and their prayers have nowbeen answered," said the 27-year-old who reached her hometown in Raub early morning today.
Hazamuddin and Nurliyana were among 140 UMP students who were allowed to return home in 26 buses from the Gambang and Pekan campuses here last night.
A UMP spokesman said 30 students returned to their homes located in green zones in Pahang, 35 to Terengganu and 73 to Kelantan while another 1,120 students who remained on campus will return in stages to other parts of the country till May 10.
"The campus health clinic had screened the students to ensure they were healthy before giving them the green light to return home. They were reminded to maintain social distancing in the bus, always wear the face mask and maintain self-hygiene by using hand sanitiser throughout the journey," she said.
Vice-chancellor Professor Dr Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff, deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Professor Datuk Dr Yuserrie Zainuddin and State police chief Datuk Abd Jalil Hassan were present to oversee the send-off process in Gambang last night.
It was learnt that 1,154 students from three states namely, Pahang (304), Kelantan (396) and Terengganu (454) returned home from their respective higher learning institutions last night.