SEPANG: Her relatives here were concerned for her safety following the earthquake in China but 91-year-old Elizabeth Louie Wai Lan took it all in stride.

Looking none the worse from her experience, Louie was greeted by her grandson, Leong Sai Hwa, 35, and great-grandson Justin Goh, 14, as she stepped out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport arrival hall early yesterday.

"I was never scared. Why should I be at this age?" said Louie, who had gone on the holiday trip with her 65-year-old daughter, Tan Saw Im.

Louie arrived home with 25 other Malaysian tourists who were stranded in China after the earthquake. Their arrival was greeted with shouts of joy, kisses, hugs and tears from their relieved family members.

Although tired, the 23 women and three men seemed to be in good health.
Yip Meng Poh, 56, and wife Cheah Sau Wah, 55, from Ipoh, said they were grateful to the villagers in Maoxian, Aba, for their help.

"Although we were foreigners, they treated us like family. They gave us food and water. We could have ended up in a worse condition if it were not for them," said Yip.

Lee Tow Chin, 82, also from Ipoh, however, is still traumatised by the ordeal and said this would be her last trip abroad.

"I was scared and thought it would be my final resting place away from my family. I am happy to be able to come back to Malaysia safely and will now remain at home."

Lee Kok Leong, a 44-year-old tour guide from Golden Travel Tours Sdn Bhd who had accompanied the group, said they were lucky to be alive as the earthquake had struck during lunch.

"I saw the restaurant staff shouting for everyone to get outside. Just as we made it outside, the building collapsed," he said.

"In fact, we were lucky to have been at the restaurant at the time. If the earthquake had struck earlier, we would have been coming down the mountain roads and might have fallen into the ravines."

Lee said communication lines went dead soon after the earthquake and roads leading in and out of the Maoxian area were cut off by boulders and landslides.

"We were stranded and had to stay in the bus for the next five days. There was no electricity or water. Luckily, the villagers helped us by providing food daily. They served us rice, porridge and meat and also accommodated us in their homes."

Lee expressed the group's gratitude to the Chinese government and its people, the Malaysian embassy and consulate officials in China, Wisma Putra, as well as other government agencies and corporate bodies that helped them.

Foreign Affairs Ministry consular division assistant secretary Syed Nauzer Syed Yusof and another official from Wisma Putra were at KLIA to welcome the group.