KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians residing in or travelling to Hong Kong have been advised to avoid public demonstrations going on there.
The Consulate-General of Malaysia in Hong Kong said in a statement Malaysians were advised to leave the protest areas.
“Malaysians in Hong Kong are advised to be aware of their surroundings and to monitor developments on local news to avoid inconveniences such as disruptions in services, traffic and transport.”
It said Malaysians who required consular assistance could reach out to the consulate-general at +852 2821 0800, mwhongkong@kln.gov.my or +852-6900-6390 on WhatsApp or WeChat after office hours.
A statement on the Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon websites said the airlines had been informed by the Airport Authority of Hong Kong that air traffic control measures had been implemented on Monday.
As a result, it said, many flights had been delayed or cancelled, and passengers had been advised to postpone non-essential travels.
“We advise passengers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking.
“Please take note that standby travel is not available at this moment.
“With immediate effect, rebooking and rerouting charges will be waived for all tickets issued worldwide (irrespective of fare type) on or before Aug 5 for travel on Cathay Pacific/Cathay Dragon and confirmed bookings arriving to and departing from HK on Aug 5 and 6.
“Please view more details on our special ticketing guideline page,” it said, adding that travellers were advised to check their flight status before proceeding to the airport.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents President Datuk Tan Kok Liang urged holidaymakers to defer their travel plans to Hong Kong.
It was reported on Monday that more than 100 flights were cancelled in Hong Kong with airport authorities warning passengers of potential disruptions, as prodemocracy protesters kick off a city-wide strike.
At least 105 flights were listed as cancelled on the airport’s departure page on Monday morning.
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters were reportedly close to creating a “very dangerous situation”, the city’s leader had warned, as train travel and flights in the global financial hub were thrown into chaos.