By Massita Ahmad
SINGAPORE, Nov 16 -- "We found Abah."
This marks the end of the search for Ali Jais by his three children, less than 24 hours after news related to him was reported by Bernama.
Ali, 84, and his children have been separated for the past 20 years, and he is now at the Bukit Batok Home for the Aged here.
The children believed that he has been in Singapore all these years, based on checks with the Malaysian Immigration Department a few years ago.
"Alhamdulillah Abah is in good health. I was informed that Abah remembers all our names. When asked the children's names.. all are correct," said his eldest daughter Hasliza Ali, who contacted Bernama to convey the good news.
Hasliza, 41, said the care home also confirmed her father's identity through a copy of the identity card in her possession.
"According to the home, Abah remembers us... it is just that he does not know how to contact us," she said in tears of joy.
The search appeal was made by Khazimah Ali, his youngest daughter, and was also shared on the Malaysia-Singapore Border Crossers Facebook page which now has about 72,000 members.
The only photo of her father that she kept was also appended in the posting.
“Someone informed me early this afternoon via WhatsApp messaging about Abah's presence. I informed my eldest sister who immediately contacted the care centre," said Khazimah, 37.
The youngest daughter has expressed her hope to celebrate Aidilfitri for the first time with him next year.
Meanwhile, Hasliza and her siblings were given the opportunity to connect with their father through a video call by the care centre just now.
"Abah just cried and asking me when will I bring him home," said Hasliza, who also shared some of her father's latest photos.
Hasliza said it was also the children’s wish to bring their father back to Malaysia.
Hasliza is aware that a special arrangement is required for this due to border restrictions between Malaysia and Singapore to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
-- BERNAMA
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