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Singaporean father reunites with son after two years

This Singaporean father got reunited with his son

after spending almost two years apart

(SOUNDBITE) (English) 37-YEAR-OLD SINGAPOREAN MAN, MOHAMMAD FARIS ABDULLAH, SAYING:

"I was surprised he is very tall and then the shoe(s) is also big for him. I mean, I cannot say much because his shoe(s) is very big."

Mohammad Faris Abdullah used to commute every day

between his home in Malaysia and his job in Singapore

But when the countries' border shut in March 2020

he was left stranded and homeless in Singapore

(SOUNDBITE) (English) 37-YEAR-OLD SINGAPOREAN MAN, MOHAMMAD FARIS ABDULLAH, SAYING: "What used to be a 30-minute's drive for me to visit my wife and son in Johor Bahru had now turned to a two-year's wait in Singapore due to the border restrictions. / I have been every day sleeping here. Day and night, I am here, for almost six to seven months, until the border (closure) completely make me forgot how my house in Johor Bahru looks like. / It is like you have been locked up in the prison for like 10 years, then you finally get to see your son and family. That is the feeling."

As countries resume air and land travel for vaccinated travelers

Adbullah is finally able to return to his home

Date: November 29, 2021

(SOUNDBITE) (English) 37-YEAR-OLD SINGAPOREAN MAN, MOHAMMAD FARIS ABDULLAH, SAYING: "Hi, I am on the first VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) flight to Kuala Lumpur, I will (be) reaching in about 30 minutes. And I'm very excited to be together with my wife and son for, after two years. I feel very excited and a bit nervous right now."

His son was four when Abdullah last saw him

(SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) MOHAMMAD FARIS ABDULLAH'S SIX-YEAR-OLD SON, MUHAMMAD ISHAQ BIN MOHAMMAD FARIS, SAYING: "Happy (to see my father). I missed papa and I'm happy papa is here."

MUHAMMAD FARIS ASKING: "Do you like it? Are you happy that I came home?"

"Yes I like it."

MUHAMMAD FARIS ASKING: "Ishaq, would you let me go to work tomorrow?"

"No."

MUHAMMAD FARIS ASKING: "Why not?"

"I'm afraid I am going to miss papa."