The repatriation of the Malaysian citizens is in line with the lockdown policy imposed in the Malaysian Kingdom since March 18, 2020, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - Malaysia has repatriated 160 Malaysian nationals from Sumatra Island in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The repatriation of the Malaysian citizens is in line with the lockdown policy imposed in the Malaysian Kingdom since March 18, 2020, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak," said En Aiyub Omar, Malaysian consul general based in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan on Thursday.

The Malaysians were repatriated to their country through a tie-up between the Malaysian Consulate General in Medan, Malaysia Airlines, and the Malaysian Students Association (PKPMI), Medan Chapter.

The Malaysian nationals comprising 144 students and 16 workers from Sumatra took a flight out of the Kualanamu Airport in Medan at 3.45 p.m. local time on Thursday.

"The Malaysian government expects COVID-19 to end soon so relations between the Indonesia-Malaysia business world and others will recover," the consul general averred.

However, he did not divulge the number of Malaysians still left in Sumatra.

Some of them have returned home themselves and others will be repatriated in groups, he stated.

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Translator: Evalisa Siregar/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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