A Malaysian couple stranded in India claimed that they were repeatedly omitted from a list of passengers for a special Covid-19 rescue flight bound for Kuala Lumpur from the Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu, South India today.
According to a witness, the Malaysian couple was among a group of 80 people stranded in India since March 13 due to the pandemic and had earlier today gone to the airport, some 330 km from the Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai, in hopes of returning home.
"This morning we went to the airport for the third time after we were told by the Malaysian consular-general that today would be the last flight from Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) to Kuala Lumpur.
"At the airport, we discovered that 36 Malaysians scheduled to board the flight had not shown up, so their seats were offered to passengers on the waiting list," said the source.
The source, however, claimed that several individuals said to represent MIC only allowed 14 of the group to board and left out the woman and her husband. It was the third time their names were omitted from the passenger manifest.
The source further claimed this sparked a commotion involving the couple and the individuals and a police commissioner from Trichy later arrived at the scene.
"The police commissioner then assisted the couple to board (the flight).
"The parties who claimed to represent MIC left as soon as the police arrived," said the source.
It is understood that the Malindo flight is scheduled to land in Kuala Lumpur at 5pm today.
When contacted, MIC president SA Vigneswaran denied claims the party had prevented any individuals from boarding its Covid-19 chartered flights.
"The MIC has no power to decide on the (passengers') name list," he told Malaysiakini.
Vigneswaran also denied claims the alleged attempt to prevent boarding was because the husband was said to have assisted a travel agency linked to an opposition leader.
"All who went to India through the agency returned home on a flight chartered by MIC.
"There's no need to say 'thank you' but don't spread slander. We do not have any personal agenda," he stressed.
After the initial six chartered flights that brought back 1,116 Malaysians from India, MIC through discussions with Wisma Putra has organised for 13 more chartered flights including from one from Kathmandu, Nepal.
Effective yesterday, all Malaysians who returned home from abroad during the movement control order will be immediately sent for a 14-day quarantine at the nearest government facility. - Mkini
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