MIRI: Seventeen Sarawakian students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia), who were stranded due to the movement control order (MCO), are the first batch from the university to return home.
They left for Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching last Saturday as part of the returning students from across the nation that began from May 1.
The students travelled in three buses that were making their return journey to Kuching after delivering over 100 Miri-bound students from Politeknik Kuching Sarawak the previous day.
The effort was made possible with the collaboration of Politeknik Kuching Sarawak and support from the Ministry of Higher Education, Sarawak Zone Student Movement leader Professor Kamarudin Kana of Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (Unimas) and the district police headquarters (IPD) in Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching.
Before departing Miri, the students were given a briefing by security personnel and underwent health screening.
The buses and students’ luggage were thoroughly sanitised before the students boarded, and they were all provided with face masks and food for the journey by the university.
“Despite having been confined in their university housing for more than 40 days, the students are all in good health and good spirits. Obviously, they are very pleased to be going home,” said Curtin Malaysia COO Ir Pieter Willem Pottas, who monitored the departure at the university’s Recreation and Event Centre last Saturday.
Upon arrival at the designated disembarkation points in their respective hometowns, the students underwent further processing prior to being allowed to return home.
As they had been under quarantine on campus for more than 40 days, and also as the travel only involved inter-district movement, they did not need to be placed in quarantine centres upon arrival but have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
Ir Pottas said some students chose to drive home in their own cars after they had secured the necessary release letters and police permits.
According to him, over 100 other students from Malaya and Sabah were still awaiting word from the Ministry of Higher Education on when they could be sent home.
