PETALING JAYA: A chartered flight is ferrying teachers from Johor to return to Sibu, Sarawak, for Chinese New Year, said Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying.

A total of 134 teachers and their family members who did not manage to buy air tickets earlier would be taking the flight departing Senai airport at 11.40 pm Thursday for Sibu.

Lim told Sin Chew Daily the teachers and their families in the same flight would be flying back to Senai at 1.24 a.m. on January 28.

“We have tried our best to arrange for the teachers to celebrate Chinese New Year during the school break so that they get to reunite with their families and return to Johor before the school resumes,” she said.

It was reported that a total of 253 teachers from East Malaysia teaching in Johor did not manage to get their flight tickets as the Ministry of Education was said to have issued the flight warrant for free air tickets late.

Flights from Senai to Sibu and Kuching had been sold out when they received the flight warrant from the ministry.

“A total of 73 teachers from Kuching have managed to get their air tickets after receiving the flight warrant. We do not receive any more complaint,” she said.