JOHOR BARU: Although the interstate travel ban has been lifted by the government, there are some who have opted to stay put rather than join in the mad travel rush.

       Johorean Harish Mustak, 30, is one of them.

       He prefers to wait until next month to visit his in-laws in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, with his family.

       “Although we have not seen our relatives in months, I think it is better to wait to avoid the expected heavy traffic on highways and at places of interest.

       “I also want to minimise the risk of exposing my two young children to the Covid-19 virus,” said the insurance agent, adding that he plans to do a Covid-19 self-test and to service his car before travelling long distance.

       There is a glimmer of hope, he said, that with the gradual reopening of borders, he will soon be reunited with his father who is based in Indonesia.

       “My dad works in Palembang and the last time I saw him was in October 2019 as he has not been able to return home due to the pandemic.

       “While I am happy that my siblings, mother and I can have a small reunion in Johor Baru, I also feel heavy-hearted that my dad is far away. We hope that overseas travel to Indonesis is allowed soon so that we can reunite with him very soon,” he added.

       In Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Sherine Gan, 28, said she is putting off travelling until next year.

       “To me, it is best to reassess the situation then. Even at the end of the year, we will still feel that it is too soon to travel, especially with the school holidays and people who would probably want to hit the streets and tourist spots.

       “We want to avoid the rush and congestion, besides minimising risks for myself and my child. My child is just one-year-old and we cannot afford to put him at risk,” she said.

       Gan has not visited her parents for almost a year.

       “We wanted to meet but we are willing to wait it out until there is no more travel rush.”