RANTAU PANJANG ICQS PACKED WITH PEOPLE RETURNING HOME FOR AIDILADHA

PASIR MAS, June 15 (Bernama) -- The Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) in Rantau Panjang has experienced congestion since yesterday as people from Thailand and Malaysia began returning to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha this Monday.

A Thai citizen from Narathiwat, Nane Abdul Hafit, 26, said he and five family members decided to celebrate Aidiladha with relatives in Kota Bharu.

"Last year, our relatives from Kota Bharu celebrated with our family in Narathiwat, and now it's our turn to celebrate in Malaysia.

"Aidiladha celebrations in Kota Bharu are extraordinary compared to Thailand because in Kelantan, Aidiladha is celebrated like a grand feast," he told Bernama here today.

Another traveller, Wan Rizman Wan Che Mat, 30, said he is returning to his hometown in Sungai Golok, Thailand after being given a four-day leave by his employer to celebrate Aidiladha.

"I work as a cook at a restaurant in Bangi, Selangor. After finishing work, I took a bus at 10 pm yesterday to return to Sungai Golok for Aidiladha.

"Upon arriving in Rantau Panjang, I took the opportunity to shop for preparations for the Aidiladha celebration," he said.

Meanwhile, checks by Bernama this afternoon found that the congestion stretched nearly four kilometres from the ICQS gate as people headed to Thailand to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha.

Huge numbers of people were crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border on foot in both directions.

The Rantau Panjang ICQS is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm.

— BERNAMA