LONDON: As Britain warns of a possible extension of a lockdown until June, Malaysian students still in the country contemplating their unfinished work are put in a quandary.
Many, on the insistence of their parents, have bought tickets to go home fearing that the country will be in total lockdown or there will not be airlines to fly them home. Others are torn between making that decision and completing their coursework.
Intan Amalina Mohd Ali, 29, who is doing a one-year Master’s degree in Business Intelligence and Digital Marketing at Brunel University, had earlier planned to stay on to finish her research for her dissertation. However, her worried parents wanted her home.
She will be flying back to Malaysia today on a Malaysia Airlines flight.
“I didn’t want to go back but my parents are worried about my wellbeing. Here, we can still leave the house and movement is not restricted as compared to Malaysia. I could use the time to finish my coursework,” said Intan, who hails from Penang.
She admitted feeling scared about the uncertainty in the country but planned to come back to continue her studies in June, depending on circumstances.
Intan, who is a self-funded student, added that three of her friends, who had earlier planned to stay on, are now planning to go back. She paid RM6,000 for a return ticket using a discount code.
The advice that Britain must stay in total lockdown until June “to properly prevent the full extent of the deadly (Covid-19) coronavirus” was delivered yesterday by a senior health chief, Professor Neil Ferguson, as the British premier Boris Johnson warned that “things will get worse before they get better”.
Britain’s Covid-19 death toll went up by 260 to 1,019 on Saturday in the worst day the country faced yet. A total of 17,089 people tested positive for the bug.
On Saturday, Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein advised parents with children studying in the United States and the United Kingdom, where there are still flights out of the countries.
“If you are willing to go home, please do it immediately before the US and UK governments declare a lockdown and hanging flights,” Hishammuddin was reported saying.
Another student who is still contemplating whether he should stay or go is Muhammad Badri Abdul Kudos, 36, a PhD scholar studying Molecular Microbiology at the University College London. He is a Higher Education Ministry student attached to the International Islamic University Malaysia.
“I am facing a dilemma,” said Badri, who added that he was still at the MPhil stage, which is supposed to be upgraded in May or June.
“But now there’s so much uncertainty,” he said.
“Initially I thought the situation is under control and so there’s no real need to go back home. And I could still do my studies here. Now, even if I go home, I would be increasing the risk of infecting my family members in Malaysia,” added Badri, who is awaiting instructions from his sponsors.
There had been reports of Malaysian students who had returned from the UK and had been tested positive.
Minarni Mat Saad said she had been worried about her daughter, Amni Zulaikha Zamri, 22, who is doing Public Relations and Media Studies at Sheffield Hallam University.
“Of course I am worried. She wants to stay on, and I know she can look after herself. The rent has been paid and she could stay on until June. She has enough food for another three weeks. There are staff and many other students at her halls of residence,” said Minarni, who still wants her daughter to go home.
“The cost of the flight ticket is very high,” she added, echoing the concerns of other students facing the same dilemma.
“But when there are rumours of a full lockdown, I feel that it is better for her to come back for a while. MAS should consider selling reasonable fares for students at this time,” she added.
Most students, according to Dr. Sharifah Faridah Syed Alwi, Reader in Corporate Brand Management, Brunel University London, are worried about their coursework, assessments and exams.
There are about 20 private postgraduate students from Malaysia at Brunel University.
“Whether students are staying or leaving, they need to be vigilant as universities are monitored by the Home Office to see how we engage with international students.
“So at Brunel, we monitor their attendance through their engagement with their lecturers online. The online assessment can be taken in Malaysia following UK time,” said Sharifah.