So Near, Yet So Far

Goodbyes are never easy and when you are apart from your loved ones for such a long time, any means of communication is well appreciated albeit not being to hold one another. About 20 Johoreans from 10 families recently took the yacht of R&F Princess Cove, heading out to the boundary line of Johor Straits which is believed to be ‘the closest distance’ for them to meet their family members stranded in Singapore because of border restrictions due to COVID-19.

Some long-apart couples just gazed at each other in silence while the children were excitedly shouting out and calling their parents after 7 months of separation. Some families also held their own hand-written messages and drawings to show their support. It was an emotional sight to behold.

“It’s so heart-breaking to read news that many families were forced to separate,” said Richard Hu, Chairman of R&F Malaysia, the organiser as well as the initiator of this reunion moment. “This is the least we can do, using our yacht which is the existing asset of Princess Cove, to allow them to meet each other at the closest distance as they can instead of video-calling on devices. Nothing can be compared to seeing each other in person.”

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic this year has made many of our lives totally chaotic and the SG-JB borders have been closed for more than 7 months.

When Malaysia imposed a lockdown on travel in March 2020, many Malaysians rushed entering Singapore, not realising it would be a separation close to a year. Though yearning for their loved ones back home, many have opted to stay in the island as most of them are the main providers for their families and couldn’t afford to lose their jobs.

The R&F yacht was specially decorated with a banner stating ‘Miss You, My Love!’ for easy recognition when it got closer to Woodlands. Families on board were seen talking or shouting to their families across when sailing towards the closest point, releasing their emotions at to this long-awaited moment.

For more details about “Miss You, My Love!” Yacht campaign, refer to https://www.facebook.com/princesscove.rf