Singapore—A video clip that went viral over the weekend showed a Tower Transit bus captain receiving the news that her husband had just passed away. The woman broke down in grief and was immediately surrounded by commuters who sought to comfort her and call the bus operator so she could be relieved of her duty.
The woman, a Malaysian national, had been driving bus service 189 and parked the vehicle at a bus stop at Clementi Avenue 1.
On Monday, the Malaysian High Commission announced that it is ready to help the woman get home so she can be there for the funeral of her husband.
According to Muhammad Radzi Jamaluddin, Deputy High Commissioner, they are always ready to help their countrymen get home in times of emergency, even though both Malaysia and Singapore are under tight travel restrictions owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
It is uncertain whether or not the woman has made her way back to Malaysia already.
The Deputy High Commissioner said that in emergency cases, the return home of Malaysian nationals may be expedited. At present, it is mandatory for them to apply for a permit from the High Commission of Malaysia to enter the country at least two days before they leave Singapore.
“If the case is an emergency, we will do our best to give the next available date to the applicant,” he said.
The bus captain had received word of her husband’s death through her mobile phone. As she was too overcome with emotion to continue working, she stopped the bus at Clementi Avenue.
Passers-by gave the woman a drink and some tissues as she wept. Others called the bus operator, Tower Transit, to let them know about the situation. Tower Transit sent an officer to the scene immediately, and later on sent another bus captain to drive the bus back.
Malaysian National News Agency Bernama has said that Tower Transit, has promised to render assistance to the woman as well.
A spokesman from Tower Transit told Bernama in an email, ”It is a deeply painful time for her and we’re going to give her our full support as well and the space she needs to grieve privately.
Our officer arrived shortly after to assist her, while another one of our Bus Captains drove the bus back.”
Tower Transit also expressed gratitude to the citizens who had helped the woman in her time of grief.
R Vidyananth, the chairman of the Johor Health and Environment Committee has said that the woman can definitely return to Malaysia, and then be quarantined afterward.
“Just that after the funeral she needs to go into quarantine.
Every day, we are assisting Malaysians to return to their hometowns due to death in their family,” he added.
Health officials will test the woman upon her return to Malaysia.
“An application will be made to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA). Once approved, the Civil Defence Force (APM) will take her to attend the funeral.
“Once rites are done, they will send her to the nearest quarantine centre,” Mr Vidyananth said.
According to Bernama, it is still endeavouring to determine the woman’s identity, as well as where she is from in Malaysia. —/TISG