SINGAPORE: The announcement that Singapore would soon operate repatriation flights out of the Middle East has brought relief to many Singaporeans in the region, even as some choose to remain for now.
Most Singaporeans CNA spoke to said they felt safe, but many had already planned to return home for Hari Raya, and worried that waiting could mean getting caught out if the situation deteriorated.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gan Siow Huang announced on Thursday (Mar 5) that Singapore will operate repatriation flights out of Muscat, Oman, on Saturday and Sunday, as thewar in Iran escalates.
Mr Ahmad Shafiq, a senior production manager based in Dubai, was among those who registered interest in the flight. When CNA spoke to him, he had received a second email to submit payment and personal details, though a confirmation had yet to come through.
“I was kind of relieved because I've been looking for options to get out of the UAE, in case things escalate,” he said.
He plans to report to a designated meeting point at 7am on Friday, before making a seven-hour overland journey from Dubai to Muscat with his wife via transport arranged by the ministry.
“Travelling is not an issue, even with the fear or maybe the anxiety that you might get hit. But you might get hit anywhere, even if you're in a building, or you're on a road,” he said.
“But typically, if you are a moving target, it's harder for you to get hit … So I'm not worried about the overland transfer.”
For Singaporeans stranded in Bahrain and Qatar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will arrange assisted overland trips by bus to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where commercial flights remain available.
In Riyadh, the situation has remained relatively calm, said Mr Nadhir Hassan, 37, who has worked in a bank there for five years.
Though MFA has not confirmed repatriation flights out of Saudi Arabia, the embassy has sent an email to gauge interest, and Mr Hassan has put his name forward.
He had planned to fly home for Hari Raya, but his original flight was cancelled and alternatives were scarce and expensive.
“There were flights, but to India, to Bangladesh and to Sri Lanka, but then those flights are fully packed, and it's just too expensive ... So we were stuck,” he said.
For some, a different worry loomed: whether their families would be allowed on board the repatriation flights.
In an email to Singaporeans who had e-registered with the ministry, MFA said the flights are strictly for Singaporeans and their dependents. Pets are not permitted on board.
Ms Sallehati Salleh, 43, who lives in Qatar, registered interest in the flight out of Muscat. While she feels safe, her family wants to leave for peace of mind. Her concern is whether her non-Singaporean husband and son would be permitted to travel with her.
“I completely understand it should be just for Singaporeans. One hundred per cent understand. But this is our situation, so I will not leave them,” the housewife said.
Mrs Alison Powell, 52, also based in Qatar, faces the same dilemma with her non-Singaporean husband, and has yet to decide whether to take the flight.
“It's very surreal. On one hand, things are normal. On the other hand, there are missiles flying outside from West Bay,” said the teaching assistant, referring to an area in Doha.
The attacks were bad last Saturday before quietening, she said, but had intensified again on Thursday.
“The Singapore government is doing their best to help us. So we’re relieved that there are options. It's not like we're stranded here,” she said.
For Ms Laila Humairah, 35, a broadcast journalist in Qatar, one concern is having to leave her cat behind.
“I just wouldn't have enough time to prepare the travel documents needed for my cat with me, and there's no way that I'm leaving her here,” she said.
While the situation feels unsettling, she trusts the local authorities to keep residents safe.
For some, remaining in place feels like the right choice.
A Singaporean in Qatar who wanted to be known only as Shar said she was unsure if the situation would change during the journey itself.
“I guess you'll be on the edge if you're out on the road and things can change any second … I think that journey is scarier than staying at home at the moment,” she said.
She was also anxious about getting stuck at borders enroute. Being surrounded by a familiar community, she said, felt more reassuring.
The local Singapore community – known as Red Dotters – had been especially active in sharing information and looking out for one another.
In Dubai, Dinesh – who declined to give his full name – said life is going on as usual. He has lived there for nearly 15 years and felt no need to leave.
“There's a level of transparency here with the government, and what they're doing, so there's no reason to panic,” he said.
He has two siblings with him in Dubai, and the family checks in with their parents back in Singapore every few hours. "I give them the reassurance that everything is fine.”
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Most Singaporeans CNA spoke to said they felt safe, but many had already planned to return home for Hari Raya, and worried that waiting could mean getting caught out if the situation deteriorated.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gan Siow Huang announced on Thursday (Mar 5) that Singapore will operate repatriation flights out of Muscat, Oman, on Saturday and Sunday, as thewar in Iran escalates.
Mr Ahmad Shafiq, a senior production manager based in Dubai, was among those who registered interest in the flight. When CNA spoke to him, he had received a second email to submit payment and personal details, though a confirmation had yet to come through.
“I was kind of relieved because I've been looking for options to get out of the UAE, in case things escalate,” he said.
He plans to report to a designated meeting point at 7am on Friday, before making a seven-hour overland journey from Dubai to Muscat with his wife via transport arranged by the ministry.
“Travelling is not an issue, even with the fear or maybe the anxiety that you might get hit. But you might get hit anywhere, even if you're in a building, or you're on a road,” he said.
“But typically, if you are a moving target, it's harder for you to get hit … So I'm not worried about the overland transfer.”
For Singaporeans stranded in Bahrain and Qatar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will arrange assisted overland trips by bus to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where commercial flights remain available.
In Riyadh, the situation has remained relatively calm, said Mr Nadhir Hassan, 37, who has worked in a bank there for five years.
Though MFA has not confirmed repatriation flights out of Saudi Arabia, the embassy has sent an email to gauge interest, and Mr Hassan has put his name forward.
He had planned to fly home for Hari Raya, but his original flight was cancelled and alternatives were scarce and expensive.
“There were flights, but to India, to Bangladesh and to Sri Lanka, but then those flights are fully packed, and it's just too expensive ... So we were stuck,” he said.
CONCERNS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY
For some, a different worry loomed: whether their families would be allowed on board the repatriation flights.
In an email to Singaporeans who had e-registered with the ministry, MFA said the flights are strictly for Singaporeans and their dependents. Pets are not permitted on board.
Ms Sallehati Salleh, 43, who lives in Qatar, registered interest in the flight out of Muscat. While she feels safe, her family wants to leave for peace of mind. Her concern is whether her non-Singaporean husband and son would be permitted to travel with her.
“I completely understand it should be just for Singaporeans. One hundred per cent understand. But this is our situation, so I will not leave them,” the housewife said.
Mrs Alison Powell, 52, also based in Qatar, faces the same dilemma with her non-Singaporean husband, and has yet to decide whether to take the flight.
“It's very surreal. On one hand, things are normal. On the other hand, there are missiles flying outside from West Bay,” said the teaching assistant, referring to an area in Doha.
The attacks were bad last Saturday before quietening, she said, but had intensified again on Thursday.
“The Singapore government is doing their best to help us. So we’re relieved that there are options. It's not like we're stranded here,” she said.
For Ms Laila Humairah, 35, a broadcast journalist in Qatar, one concern is having to leave her cat behind.
“I just wouldn't have enough time to prepare the travel documents needed for my cat with me, and there's no way that I'm leaving her here,” she said.
While the situation feels unsettling, she trusts the local authorities to keep residents safe.
STAYING PUT
For some, remaining in place feels like the right choice.
A Singaporean in Qatar who wanted to be known only as Shar said she was unsure if the situation would change during the journey itself.
“I guess you'll be on the edge if you're out on the road and things can change any second … I think that journey is scarier than staying at home at the moment,” she said.
She was also anxious about getting stuck at borders enroute. Being surrounded by a familiar community, she said, felt more reassuring.
The local Singapore community – known as Red Dotters – had been especially active in sharing information and looking out for one another.
In Dubai, Dinesh – who declined to give his full name – said life is going on as usual. He has lived there for nearly 15 years and felt no need to leave.
“There's a level of transparency here with the government, and what they're doing, so there's no reason to panic,” he said.
He has two siblings with him in Dubai, and the family checks in with their parents back in Singapore every few hours. "I give them the reassurance that everything is fine.”
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