Teo sending kisses to her family at home.
KOTA KINABALU: Two Sabahans living abroad are ecstatic to know that they can now self-quarantine at home upon arrival in the state.
After being informed that Covid-19 restrictions will be eased starting August 10 for those who have been fully vaccinated and that fully-vaccinated travellers from overseas coming to Malaysia, including Malaysians returning from abroad, will be allowed to self-quarantine at home, the two women from Penampang are making plans to travel home.
Marilyn with Simon and their children Will, Ollie and Lucy.
One of them who wished to be identified only as J.Teo lives in Belgium with her husband, two children and two grandchildren and said she last visited her parents here in September 2019.
“When my cousin told me to pack my bags and fly home, I felt light headed because I could not believe it. Then when she told me the Prime Minister announced that Malaysians returning home can now quarantine at home, I cried tears of happiness.
“I am so happy and excited… I really don’t mind having to quarantine at home as long as I can be with my family back home. I don’t mind sitting at home (as) I just want to be around and spend time with my parents as they are not getting any younger,” said Teo when contacted.
For Marilyn Miji-Marsh, the feeling of knowing that they can quarantine at home is overwhelming and she is making preparations to travel home soon.
“We have been following the news very closely. We could (have) gone back and followed the quarantine SOP provided by the State Government. However, we weren’t vaccinated at that time,” said Marilyn who is currently residing in Switzerland with her husband and three children.
She pointed out that her 80 plus-year-old grandmother and her parents are in the vulnerable group.
“We felt that we should be protecting them until we get vaccinated. Now that the vaccinations are done, we feel a bit safer to make our journey home. It is a bonus with the home quarantine.
“My kids had tearful conversations with their grandparents in Penampang. The moment my dad mentioned, ‘when you are back here, we will go out and eat your favourite food, they will cry and this because at that time they did not know when they will be going home to Penampang,” said Marilyn when asked to comment about the announcement.
According to her, their last trip home to Penampang was in December 2019 and as the family try their best to go home every Christmas and Chinese New Year, the past two years have been the longest time they have not been with their family in Sabah.
“We hope that they will allow foreign spouses to return and also undergo home quarantine without having to apply for permission. I’ve told the kids that we are now allowed to do home quarantine.
“The joy seen in their faces to be able to hug their grandparents and family again is priceless. We need warm hugs from the family. It has been too long,” she said.