Two Malaysians return after stuck more than a decade in Peru

SEPANG: It was teary moment for two Malaysians at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), here, today, when they were finally reunited with their families after spending more than a decade stranded in Peru.
Nor Suzanna Azmi, 36, and Noor Azimah Sapie, 38, returned home thanks to the efforts by the Umno Welfare Bureau (BiKum) and Wisma Putra after waiting for more than a year.
"The delay was due to documentation issues as the duo had overstayed in the country. This along with several other factors such as paying the daily fine of overstaying and preparing paperwork for their spouses and children took more time than expected," BiKum chairman Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah told reporters after welcoming the duo and their families at the airport, here, today.
Both Nor Suzanna and Noor Azimah thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for taken attention of their case during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) conference in Lima, Peru.
"I am so glad to be finally be able to come back home. Being stranded in a country for 12 years with almost no way out has been an arduous experience for me.
"Without the support from my husband and our family, I would not have been able to pull through," said Nor Suzanna.
A former drug mule, Nor Suzanna was 24-year-old when she was detained at the Jorge Chavez International Airport here with 2kg of drugs in her bag when she wanted to leave for Madrid, Spain.
Sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, Suzanna however spent only two years and six months in jail following a reduced sentence.
Having lived in a shelter Gruta de Lourdes church for three years, she then worked various odd jobs and married Garlin (Yusof) Lever Quispe Sanchez, a Peruvian.
Both have two sons namely Muhammad Duler Akasyah Salas Azmi and Garlin Junior Quispe Azmi @ Huzaifah who also arrived with her.
While Noor Azimah was stranded in the country since 2008 after being duped to take a vacation in the country for ten days along with the offer of US$1,000.
"I was stranded when my flight tickets to return home via Amsterdam was cancelled after I failed to take a package before leaving the airport.
"My life became a living nightmare ever since as I became an illegal after sometime. If my husband did not come into my life then, I would not have survived the ordeal," she said.
Noor Azimah also married Peruvian, Emilio Ignacio Alarcon Leon @ Osman, 41, and had daughter Qistina Maisara Alarcon Sapie, 8, from the marriage.
While Noor Azimah brought Qistina along, she said her husband is expected to come to the country soon as he had some matters to attend to in Peru.
Meanwhile, Shamsul who is also Lenggong MP said BiKum will be making more efforts towards preventing more people from becoming drug mules through various awareness campaigns.
"We are glad to bring them home despite the hefty costs. However, there are still many cases involving drug mules being stranded in other countries under similar circumstances. However we are unable to help all of them due to laws and unmitigated circumstances.
"This is why it is important to initiate an awareness campaign across the country. The both of them are innocent but end up paying a heavy price for being gullible instead," he added.