KUALA LUMPUR OCT.7: The government will not open the borders of the country without the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) current risk evaluation of COVID-19 infections in the country and the latest information on the pandemic situation in the travellers’ country of origin.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) the government consistently improves the standard operating procedures (SOP) relating to this issue and starting from 12th August 2021, Malaysian travellers and non-citizens who are fully vaccinated can apply to undergo compulsory quarantine at home or residential place.
However, Ismail said, the permission given will depend on the risk evaluation from MOH and the applicant is still needed to undergo COVID-19 screening test.
“In this respect, the readiness is via the detailed guideline and the risk evaluation of MOH that will be carried out on every traveller based on the application to be quarantined at home or residential place.
“The government is consistently giving priority to the SOP compliance, increase the practice and control of public health while emphasizing the importance of immunisation inoculation on the people in the whole of Malaysia.
“On the whole the government has made several preparations and flexibilities that are given cautiously to the people by taking into account the global development and priority given to economic recovery,” Ismail said in Dewan Negara today.
Ismail added the entry of Malaysians and foreigners such as students, diplomats, professional groups and foreign investors have been allowed starting on June 2020 during the Recovery Movement Control Order.
However he said, the permission for entry depends on the SOP and the terms that have been set including the requirement to undergo compulsory quarantine at the fixed quarantine centres.
The Prime Minister said that in an oral question raised by Datuk Razali Idris on how far is the readiness of the country to open the doors at the borders as soon as the daily COVID-19 cases has decreased and whether the SOP to allow the domestic travellers and foreign travellers with two doses of vaccines to undergo compulsory quarantine at home when they return from overseas is sufficient.
The Prime Minister in his additional information said, to stay at home or residential place for compulsory quarantine will depend on the terms and among others are as follows: 1) Malaysian traveller and non-citizen traveller that has a house or residential place in Malaysia (including permanent resident, Malaysia as My Second Home Resident –MM2H and expatriate) 2) Screening test to detect COVID-19 is negative, RTPCR, 3) Traveller need to download and fill the health declaration in MySejahtera apps. 4) Travellers without symptoms will be taken swab test to detect COVID-19 infection, RT-PCR.
5) Travellers with medium symptoms/bad will be referred to the Infectious Diseases Medical Expert 5) The compulsory quarantine period for Malaysian travellers or non-citizens from all countries is 14 days, nevertheless the 14 days quarantine will be extended to another seven days if there is a need depending on the results of the risk evaluation of the traveller carried out on the 14th day. – Malaysia World News
