MIRI, June 9 (Sin Chew Daily) — Expectant mother Liu Hui Hui and her husband Li Qi Qiang finally get to return to Malaysia after two months of lockdown in the Philippines.

Liu, who is 33 weeks pregnant, boarded the flight with her husband and touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport several days ago.

The couple then took a connecting flight to Miri and are now undergoing 14 days of quarantine in a hotel.

Despite the long hours of waiting for the connecting flight, the couple was obviously overjoyed.

They thanked Sarawak's assistant minister of tourism, art and culture Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew for the help, and waved at the media upon arrival at the Miri airport.

Li told Sin Chew Daily he was relieved they finally reached home.

Liu is currently 33 weeks pregnant, She will not be allowed to board a flight if she is 35 weeks pregnant.

She would be due after spending two weeks at the quarantine center.

Both Li and Liu worked in the Philippines a year ago and had planned to deliver their baby in Miri.

The lockdown measures imposed by the Philippines with series of flight cancellations to curb COVID-19 have disrupted their plans.

The wife was unable to undergo routine check-up as a result of the lockdown.

This is Liu's second pregnancy and she is due in mid-July. 

"We do not know the gender of the baby since my wife does not have routine check-up done," he said.

The return is made possible with the arrangement made by the Embassy of Malaysia in Manila. The couple spent RM5,500 for the airfare.

They thanked the support extended to them by friends and family members, including Ting who has kept in touch with the couple.