MELAKA, May 5 (Bernama) — The reopening of the ferry service between Melaka and Dumai in Indonesia has made her day for Mas Rika Sukemi as she will finally get to see her son again after three years.
For this 44-year-old mother who lives in Kampung Melayu Subang, this year’s Aidilfitri celebration is very meaningful as she will be reunited with her eldest child Syafiq Aditya Ababil, 22.
“Before the pandemic, my son would always return home even though he had been living with his grandfather in Dumai for the past five years.
“I am very excited because for the past three years we could only communicate through video calls. To celebrate his home coming, we have prepared all kinds of dishes such as lemang, ketupat palas and rendang. Previously it had been a low key Hari Raya celebration with just my husband and our two other children,” she told reporters here today.
Earlier, State Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis .received 175 passengers who arrived by sea via Dumai at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) of the Melaka-Dumai International Ferry Terminal in Kota Laksamana.
Meanwhile, Helda Anna Ibrahim, 61, who is from Dumai said she was glad that the ferry service has resumed operations because she would now be able to travel to and from Melaka to receive treatment at a private hospital here.
Helda who had retired as a teacher since 1998, said she had sought treatment and underwent cancer surgery until she recovered, but after the border was closed she could not come here for her follow up checks.
“This time around I have brought along my husband to seek medical treatment at the same hospital,” said Helda who was also accompanied by her youngest son.
“I am satisfied with the health services here so the moment I heard the ferry service has resumed I quickly booked our tickets two days ago,” she said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Jailani said the state government was targeting one million tourist arrivals from Indonesia by the end of this year and tourism promotional activities were being intensified in the country.
He said medical tourism has been the main focus in Melaka and currently there are four private hospitals providing medical tourism facilities in the state.
The Melaka-Dumai International Ferry Terminal ICQS complex is one of the entrances and exits for travellers from Indonesia but the route was closed due to closure of the border between Malaysia and Indonesia following the outbreak of COVID-19 two years ago.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency