POLISH EMBASSY IN KL SUCCESSFULLY ENSURED SAFE RETURN OF STRANDED CITIZENS

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 -- The Embassy of the Republic of Poland here has taken numerous steps to ensure the safe return of four of its citizens who were stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) recently, said its envoy.

Ambassador Krzysztof Debnicki said the embassy was in constant contact with the four who were turned back to KLIA2 after they were not allowed to enter Thailand last week following the Thai government’s introduction of new requirements for entering the country in an ever-changing travel situation worldwide due to COVID-19.

The group, denied re-entry to Malaysia after the country closed its borders to foreigners starting March 18 to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus, was stranded at KLIA2’s transit zone.

“The embassy had written a special letter to the Immigration Office at KLIA2 Airport, requesting an option of transferring its citizens to the KLIA1 Terminal in order to purchase tickets to Europe and depart from Malaysia, to which the Malaysian immigration authorities responded positively,” he said in response to an article published by Al Jazeera news website that claimed the embassy could not help the group.

He added that the Embassy had searched and offered its citizens available flight options from Kuala Lumpur to Poland via London and had, prior to that, checked with Malaysia Airlines and its diplomatic mission in London to ensure the four had a smooth journey home.

“The Embassy had informed the four Polish citizens about the available options for returning to Poland with Polish Airlines PLL LOT from Heathrow Airport as part of the repatriation operation by the Polish government called "Flight Home" (#LotDoDomu),” he said, adding that the four were very grateful for the actions taken by the embassy and sent their thanks via WhatsApp.

Dębnicki said in the current unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 pandemic, all Polish diplomatic missions around the world are operating on full capacity to repatriate its citizens safely back to Poland.

The Polish government had announced a “Flight Home” action plan (#LotDoDomu) together with Poland’s national carrier Polish Airlines LOT to organise special charter flights worldwide.

The said operation had brought home nearly 42,000 Poles, 700 EU citizens and hundreds of other countries’ tourists back home, while dispatching over 270 special charter flights to over 50 countries around the world.

-- BERNAMA