M’sian Studying In S’pore Can’t Visit Terminally Ill Father In JB, Turns To Facebook For Help

Malaysian Studying In Singapore Seeks Advice On Facebook To Visit Terminally Ill Father In JB

The Movement Control Order (MCO) and ‘Circuit Breaker’ have kept some people apart from their friends and families for several months now.

Both Singaporeans and Malaysians are finding the separation difficult, but with talks of the restrictions relaxing soon, many may finally be reunited.

Unfortunately for one Malaysian staying in Singapore, she might not be able to wait for the restrictions to be lifted, as her father has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

Source

Desperate to see her father again, she turned to Facebook for help after her travel permit application was rejected.

Terminally ill father in JB hospital

The Malaysian, who is also a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), shared that her father had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer at the end of May.

Source

Though he is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment at a hospital in Johor Bahru, his attending doctor told his family to prepare for him to go any time.

Permit application rejected

Wanting to pay her final respect to her terminally ill father, the woman applied for an entry permit to travel back to Malaysia.

Source

Unfortunately, it was rejected, and she claims it was due to her PR status.

She wrote that she tried calling and sending emails, but they have all gone unanswered.

Turned to netizens for help

Desperate for help and with no one else to turn to, she asked for help on Facebook.

Luckily, a few netizens offered their help.

One offered to pull some strings, saying in Chinese that he has a few friends who work in the government he can ask for help.

Source

When another netizen suggested approaching customs, the Singapore PR related that she had already done so.

She apparently explained her situation, but was told sternly to go back to Singapore as she had no entry permit, and that her mother and sister were enough to care for her father.

Source

Hopefully, some of her friends and people she’s contacted pull through, and manage to reunite her with her family.

We have reached out to the High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore for comment.

Reasons for difficulty unclear

Although there may be restrictions we’re not aware of, it still seems like the reasons for this woman’s struggle aren’t the most clear.

We hope she manages to find a way to solve this issue, and receives some replies to her emails and calls.

Being kept apart from your family is difficult enough, it must be unimaginable to endure the stress she’s going through.

Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons.