JOHOR BAHRU, Apr 2 (Sin Chew Daily) — Many Malaysians in Singapore travelled on foot across the Causeway today to come back to Malaysia.

Many of them had to walk under hot sun for more than half an hour with their luggage, as all buses and trains between Johor and Singapore have stopped operating since the movement control order went into effect on March 18.

The government has decided to send all Malaysian citizens returning to the country to designated quarantine centres for 14 days beginning April 3 (Friday).

Sin Chew Daily talked to several of them at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Bahru this morning.

Most of them said they took buses from their homes in Singapore early in the morning to Woodlands, and from there they walked to the Woodlands checkpoint and across the Causeway into Johor Bahru.

Among those approached by us this morning were university students, administrative executives, store clerks, tuition teachers and bakery chefs.

They came back to Malaysia for varying reasons but most of them were worried they would be sent directly to quarantine centres for 14 days if they come back after April 3.

Some of them came back because their permits had expired, or had resigned from their jobs in Singapore, or were worried about their families in Johor.

They said they were required by Singapore's immigration officials to produce company letters and health certificates issued by doctors before they could leave the city state.