KUALA PERLIS: The school holiday period, which starts today, the first since the reopening of schools under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), saw many Malaysians taking the opportunity to travel with their loved ones in the country.
While holiday-goers thronged domestic tourist spots, enforcement personnel were deployed to ensure the public's compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP), especially physical distancing and face mask-wearing as preventive measures against Covid-19 infection.
At the Kuala Perlis Ferry Terminal, hundreds of visitors began arriving at the terminal from 9.45am, but many were forced to wait outside the compound as the waiting area reached its maximum capacity.
Kangar district police chief Superintendent Wari Kiew said 12 policemen were dispatched to keep the situation under control.
"The place was packed between 9.45am and 10.45am as the morning ferry trip from Kuala Perlis to Langkawi was delayed by low tide.
"As a result, visitors started to fill up the terminal area while the seating capacity at the waiting area reached its limit, forcing the queue to spill over outside," he said when contacted today.
Wari said the situation was brought under control by 2.30pm when several ferries started their journey when the sea levels eventually rose.
The enforcement personnel took measures to ensure SOP compliance among the public.
He said the high number of visitors could be due to the public holidays, with many people venturing out for activities.
Nazri Ramli, 29, who was returning home in Ayer Hangat, Langkawi, said ferry trips were delayed by an hour due to the low-tide phenomenon.
"There were instances in the past where the trips were delayed, but I didn't expect the terminal to be this crowded today.
"I'm quite concerned especially with the pandemic situation now. I'm worried that there will be a new Covid-19 cluster," he said.
Rosnah Haris, 38, who was among the earliest to arrive at the terminal, said she was disappointed to learn that the ferry, which was scheduled at 10am, was delayed, forcing her and family members to wait with the crowd.
On major highways, several road users took to social media to express their frustration over the slow-moving traffic.
A Facebook user posted a picture showing bumper-to-bumper traffic on the east-bound Kuala Lumpur - Karak Expressway, saying that the congestion started as soon as she and her family, who were travelling in a car, left the Gombak toll plaza around noon.
