PUTRAJAYA should allow students under lockdown in universities and colleges to return home if the movement-control order (MCO) is extended beyond April 14, said worried parents.

Some students told The Malaysian Insight they want an official order allowing them to return home from their campuses, where they have been told to stay throughout the MCO period with their institutions looking after their food and welfare.

Homemaker Hashimah Junaidi from Miri, Sarawak, said she is worried about her 20-year-old son who is a student at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Muhamad Adib Fauzi was unable to fly back to Sarawak before the MCO was imposed on March 18 and has been stuck here since then.

“I am worried day and night. My son is all alone there. If the government wants to prolong the MCO, at least allow the students to return home,” Hashimah told The Malaysian Insight.

Hashimah said she is aware of the risks if all students stuck on campuses are to leave and crowd transportation hubs, exposing themselves to the virus.

Putrajaya should arrange the logistics so that students could travel back to their hometowns safely, she said.

Another mother, Khadijah Rahim, echoed Hashimah’s sentiments.

The 45-year-old private sector worker in Johor said if the government could bring home Malaysians from abroad, it should be able to do the same for students in local universities.

Khadijah’s 22-year-old daughter is studying at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam and is not staying on campus but renting.

“She stays with her friends and I am worried she will be exposed to the virus if she goes out to buy food.

“We are going to enter the fasting month soon and if the MCO is extended, I really want her to come home,” Khadijah said.

Directives from the National Security Council before the MCO came into effect on March 18 at first stated that all students should leave campus.

It was later changed to giving students the choice to leave or remain on campus, before it was changed yet again to a stay-put order.

The evening before March 18, when the directive at the time was for all students to leave, crowds scrambled to get tickets home at train and bus terminals.

Many, however, were also stuck on campus or their rented accommodation either because they could not find tickets or decided not to join the exodus.

The final directive to remain on campus came in the evening of March 18.

The MCO is now extended to April 14 as the number of Covid-19 cases remains high. As of yesterday, Malaysia recorded 4,119 cases and 65 deaths.

Mixed feelings

Students themselves want nothing more than to return to their families and are hoping the government will craft a plan to give them a safe passage home.

A UiTM student, who wanted to be known only as Fatin, said she did not want to take any health risk but also wants to go home.

“If there is a safe plan, of course, we want to go home. I miss my family so much,” said the 19-year-old from Kedah.

Another student from Sabah said although UiTM is taking good care of them, the MCO’s restrictions while being away from loved ones have caused stress and worry.

“Of course, we worry about our families. We are afraid things will happen to them and we want to be there,” said the Sabahan woman who declined to be named.

The 20-year-old said the government should facilitate their return to their hometowns.

“They should help. If they can bring home Malaysians overseas and place them under quarantine, we should also be allowed to go home and be quarantined there,” she said.

Muhammad Adib video calls his mother daily to cheer her and keep her updated.

He said there is some paranoia about the virus and students are feeling torn between wanting to go home and staying put.

“A friend bought a bus ticket later learnt that a passenger on the bus he was to go on was Covid-19 positive. He is now paranoid about travelling,” said Adib.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia student Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Mazuki said he felt “safer” staying on campus but given a choice, wanted to go home.

“I hope that the government will come up with a systematic plan to let students go home,” said the 21-year-old from Terengganu.

“There should not be too many procedures. For example, permission could be for students only, or on certain buses only, those that are allowed to cross state borders.” – April 9, 2020.