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| Sunday, 25 August 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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The
return of the
A thousand thoughts took possession of his mind. He was trying to put these thoughts in order as if trying to solve a jig-zaw puzzle. Did he leave his passport in Malaysia, but then how did he board the aircraft? Or did the passport accidently slip away in the tarmac? But it could not be because the Boarding Pass was with the passport. Suddenly, it dawned on him that he had a little wine and thereafter snoozed a little while on the flight. So he concluded that his passport might be in the aircraft, which was still on the tarmac. He raced to the aircraft but a strong hand gripped him. "Where are you trying to go? "He was a police officer in mufti. "My pas-port-pa-pa-pass-port in the air-air-port. I w-want-to--" He stammered with perspiration trickling down his face. "Oh! your passport? You're looking for your passport. "He grinned. "Your name?". "Felix Perera. I think I would have-dr-dro-pped it while I fell asleep". "You say your passport is in the aircraft? O.K. let's go. :The officer said casting a suspicious look at the excited Felix. Felix walked briskly to the aircraft hope against hope in this deperate situation, followed by the officer. He searched every nook and corner of the aircraft but the passport and the traveller's cheques were not there. "Did you find your passport? "The officer asked sarcastically. Felix remained silent; tears welled in his eyes. "You're an illegal immigrant. And you tell me you had a passport". He pleaded with the officer to get in touch with the Malaysia airport authorities. While this was being done, Felix was detained at the airport. It was not before a few hours had passed that a police officer informed him that they had received information that five illegal immigrants had escaped from Malaysia a week ago. However much he tried to explain his position and the purpose of his visit to Singapore, the officers there did not care to listen to his story. He was treated as an illegal immigrant. By evening he was bundled into a van and transferred to a cell in the Immigration prison Camp, where he spent the next ten days before he was deported to Sri Lanka. Back in Sri Lanka, bearded with a bedraggled look and penniless, he related his tale of woe to his countrymen. With the help of some good Samaritans, the bearded bridegroom returned home, a day before his wedding. |
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News | Business | Features
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| Produced by Lake House |
Flight UK 252 landed at the Singapore International Airport at nine in
the morning from Malaysia, from where a youth had done a stint of
shopping. He had wanted to indulge in a shopping spree in Singapore on
account of his wedding that was to take place a fortnight hence. He
jostled through the crowd of passengers along the spotlessly clean tarmac
to the arrival's counter. There a shock was in store for him. His passport
was missing. He ransacked his hand luggage desperately for the missing
passport. Only then did he realise that it was not only the passport but
also the Traveller's Cheques valued at US$ 50000 that had been spirited
away. He was under a cloud; nervous and excited and bathed in sweat. The
whole world seemed to collapse before him.
