Special Counter to Help Stranded Malaysians in Bali and Surabaya

Passengers wait to check the status of their flights with the airline desk at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar, Bali.

Jakarta, MINA – The Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia has opened a special counter at the Bali and Surabaya airports to facilitate the evacuation of Malaysians currently stranded on the resort island of Bali following the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung.

The staff at the counter would help the Malaysian citizens who wished to leave Bali via land route and to return to Malaysia via the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Bernama reported, citing the embassy in a statement Saturday,

The embassy is also working closely with the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration, airlines and local authorities to ensure smooth running of the evacuation process, the statement said.

Yesterday, the Malaysian Immigration Department in a statement said almost 1,400 Malaysians were stranded in Bali since the eruption of Mount Agung on Nov 21.

The I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali has been closed since Monday as airborne ash from the erupting volcano posed serious hazard to the operation of aircraft.

“Malaysians stranded in Bali are advised to remain calm and to always follow the instructions issued by the authorities,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported that the immigration authority at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Saturday extended the exit pass for all stranded tourists to another week. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)