Published on : Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Mohamad Suhaib, 26, was supposed to leave for Lombok at 4.30pm yesterday with his family, but chose to postpone the trip.
Dr Hanisah Mustapa had plans to climb up Mount Rinjani with five friends, but after the first earthquake two days before their trip, she felt uneasy about going. The 29-year-old doctor discussed the matter with her friends and they decided to cancel the trip. Meanwhile, boutique owner Ridzal Mann, 34, is thanking his lucky stars that last-minute work commitments forced him to cancel his Bali trip.
Meanwhile, AirAsia Group Bhd executive chairman and AirAsia X Co-Group chief executive officer Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said the airline would deploy an empty aircraft for 180 passengers to help those in Lombok who wish to return home earlier.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) president Datuk Tan Kok Liang urged Malaysians to delay their trip to Lombok to avoid putting themselves in danger. The magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck off north Lombok on Sunday evening was also felt around Sumbawa, Bali and east Java.The death toll has reportedly exceeded 90 while hundreds more are injured.