Stranded in Lombok for 18 Years, Malaysian Woman Safely Returns Home

(Kuala Lumpur, 15th) After being separated from her family for 18 years, a Malaysian woman who was stranded on Indonesia's Lombok Island finally returned safely to her homeland on Saturday (February 14th).

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Dato' Seri Shamsul Anuar confirmed this via a Facebook post on Sunday (February 15th).

He stated that Norida Akmal Ayob, now 45 years old, had years earlier accompanied her Indonesian husband to Lombok Island (Lombok), where she settled for many years with her daughter.

"However, this marriage could not be sustained, and Norida eventually lived alone, enduring hardship and poverty."

He said that after divorcing her ex-husband, who remarried, Norida was forced to work as a cleaner to support her child, barely making ends meet.

Previous media reports stated that Norida's family had sought help from the government, hoping to assist in bringing her home. She was said to have lived in long-term hardship, and lived in fear due to threats from her ex-husband to kill her.

Shamsul Anuar pointed out that the successful arrangement for Norida and her two children to return to Malaysia was thanks to the joint efforts of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia, the Malaysian Immigration Department, and the Indonesian authorities, especially the local immigration department.

He said that the authorities also sent an officer to Lombok Island to help handle the relevant procedures and ensure the smooth return of Norida and her children.

He added that Norida has two children, among whom her daughter was born in Malaysia and holds Malaysian citizenship; her son was born in Indonesia and is an Indonesian citizen.