PUTRAJAYA APRIL 13: 80,000 students from the institute of higher education, who have stayed back in the campuses during the MCO effective March 18, are not permitted to visit their families in the third phase of the Order.
Defence Minister and Senior Minister (Security Cluster), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has made such decision after considering the advice and opinions of the Ministry of Health, National Security Council (NSC) and the Police.
“The students are not allowed to go back to their families to ensure the MCO is being complied and the public movements are reduced,” he said in a press conference here today.
Ismail said, the parents do not have to worry about the students’ food as their welfare are taken care of by the government through the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT).
The minister also stressed that, since there will be a big movement amongst students if they are allowed to go back, it is feared a new cluster of COVID-19 will be created. For the safety and health of the family, community and the country, students are advised to stay where they are now.
Regarding Malaysians stranded abroad, Ismail said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is always committed to help the citizens whenever possible but it depends on each country’s flight policies.
“The Foreign Ministry is continuously in contact with other countries to bring back our citizens but in the case of special flights, the air fares will be borne by the citizens/students,” he said
Meanwhile, on MCO compliance, Ismail added, 1,471 individuals have been detained while 949 have been compounded with RM1, 000 each, 503 were remanded and 19 were on police bails. Apart from that 51 individuals have been charged in the courts.
“Since MCO was enforced on March 18, about 8.647 individuals have been detained for MCO non compliance and 3,105 have been compounded. –Malaysia World News
