TAWAU: “We appeal to the Sabah government to help us return to Tawau,“ said Juliana Arifudin, 25, a Malaysian who is currently stranded in Nunukan, Indonesia, along with her husband, Hermawan Zainuddin, 31, and her son Hadderayn Ezreansyah, three.
According to Juliana, they visited relatives in Sulawesi, Indonesia on March 11, before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced.
“We left Malaysia on March 11 and traveled for three days and two nights, from Tawau to Nunukan, Indonesia and to Pare Pare in Sulawesi. After 10 days at Pare Pare, ferry services and operations at the port were temporarily suspended.
“On June 6, the port resumed operation, and we immediately returned to Nunukan. It is already three weeks now and we are still waiting for permission to return to Sabah, ”she said when contacted here today.
Juliana also claimed that there were more than 20 Malaysians stranded in Nunukan today.
She was informed that the Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak, Indonesia had sent a letter to the Sabah government for permission for her family to return to Tawau, but to date, there had been no response.
“I am also worried about my parents living in Tawau, they are old and living all by themselves now,“ said Juliana who now lived at a friend’s house on Jalan Pangeran Antarsari, Nunukan.
She added that when stranded in Indonesia they faced financial difficulties as they had to spend a lot to buy necessities including food and drink. - Bernama
