State rep helps breastfeeding mothers get milk across the Causeway to infants

CORONAVIRUS | Despite restrictions on both sides of the Causeway, several breastfeeding mothers who work in Singapore have managed to get milk to their infants in Malaysia.

With help from Stulang assemblyperson Andrew Chen Kah Eng, 30 mothers froze their milk, packed them in boxes and had them transported for no fee yesterday.

When contacted, Chen said that he began making transport arrangements after the women reached out to him for help.

“They desperately wanted to send the milk back.

“A lot of people are still breastfeeding but because of the movement control order (MCO), mothers and their babies are now separated. The mothers are in Singapore, the babies are in Malaysia.

“This (milk) is really important because during this critical time, this is the best food for babies to increase their immune system,” he told Malaysiakini.

Chen thanked transport company Swissen Trading and Transport and the Johor Lorry Operators Association for picking up the boxes of frozen milk from Woodlands in Singapore and bringing them to Johor Bahru for no charge.

The boxes were later delivered to the women’s families in Johor, Pahang and Selangor.

Expecting more milk delivery requests to pour in, Chen said he was prepared to make transport arrangements again.

Under normal circumstances, more than 300,000 Malaysians travel into the city-state to work and come home when the day is done.

Malaysia implemented the MCO on March 18 to prevent a worsening of the Covid-19 outbreak, and barred citizens from travelling abroad.

A mass exodus from Singapore to Malaysia ensued, but a number of daily commuters opted to remain in Singapore so that they could keep their jobs and continue earning a living for their families.

After Singapore implemented “circuit breaker” measures on Tuesday this week, Malaysia advised its citizens there to remain rather than attempt to come home. - Mkini