KUALA LUMPUR APR.26: The government has decided to ban temporarily flights to and from India effective 28th April 2021 to prevent the spread of a new variant of the Covid-19 disease in the country.
Senior and Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yakaob said, the National Security Council (NSC) in a special meeting today has agreed on the proposal forwarded by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the action taken to avoid the new variant from India entering Malaysia.
“Any traveller that starts his/her journey from any destination in India whether on direct flight or transit to Malaysia is not permitted to enter the country. This is also applicable to any passenger on transit in Malaysia to go to the third country. However exemption is granted only to Malaysian citizens.
“Any ship with a travel history from India within 14 days is not permitted for sign-off in Malaysia except Malaysian crew that will undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days.
“The implementation of the temporary sanction is carried out on foreign workers from India with temporary working visit pass that is still valid and it is also applicable to international students from India and business travellers,” Ismail said in a statement here today.
Meanwhile Malaysians (students, couples and children to Malaysian citizens who live in India and religious groups) who are in India are allowed to enter Malaysia by adhering to the compulsory quarantine procedure for 14 days at the quarantine station that is gazetted.
Ismail added, non-Malaysian married to Malaysian is allowed to enter Malaysia by adhering to the compulsory quarantine procedure for 14 days at the gazetted quarantine station.
Regarding the Task Force Compliance Operation, Ismail said, yesterday 420 individuals had been detained and out of which 388 had been issued with compounds while 32 were remanded.
The offences committed said Ismail include activities at the entertainment centres (145), failing to record personal particulars//not registered when entering premises (134), not wearing face mask (56), no physical distancing (47), inter-state/district travel without permission (5) and others (33).
On another development, the government has decided to end the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) effective 27th April 2021 as scheduled on Taman Villa Mas, Tawau, Sabah; Kampung Melangkap Tomis, Kota Belud, Sabah; Market and Sim-Sim Housings and Kampung Sungai Obar Batu 7, Sandakan, Sabah; four villages in Temerloh, Pahang; Integrated Community Centre, Pulau Serai, Pekan, Pahang.
Meanwhile, the EMCO is widened to Sungai Duan, Mukah Division, Sarawak involving six long houses and a school. The long houses affected include Belayong; Tepi; Minggu; Rimong, Undun, Lindan and SK Sungai Duan.
Ismail said, after a risk analysis was carried out with several agencies in the MCO Technical Committee, and with the advice of MOH, the government agreed EMCO to be extended to six long houses and one school effective 27th April until 6th May 2021.
According to Ismail, EMCO has also been imposed on the building area of the Hydroelectric Dam Baleh, Kapit Sarawak from 27th April until 26th May 2021 following 243 positive COVID-19 cases has been recorded within a week from the screening tests carried out on the workers at the dam.
The implementation of EMCO on that area, said Ismail is to enable MOH to carry out early detection on COVID-19 cases and to avoid the infection from spreading to the nearby community. –Malaysia World News
