PUTRAJAYA MAY 16: The customers and the travel agencies have to discuss about the contract terms in the purchasing of travel tickets and return the money back to the buyer as the trip is cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Security and Senior Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, the trip to overseas is being cancelled due to Movement Control Order (MCO) and if problems exist then the customers have to ask assistance from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
In another development, the government has allowed the tourism agencies’ offices to resume business for management purpose, finance and sales of package tour as a preparation in case the Conditional MCO is lifted.
“There are complaints about the ferry fee being raised by RM10 in Langkawi Island from Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis. The meeting today has decided not to allow the public transport to increase the fees during this time as the price of petrol is still low, he said in a press conference held here today.
Meanwhile MOTAC today made a decision to allow the people involved in Malaysia My Second Home Programme who are stranded overseas to return to Malaysia starting May 17.
“Before leaving for Malaysia, the people from the programme have to be COVID-19 negative and on reaching Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) they have to follow all the standard operating procedure (SOP) including health screening and undergoing compulsory quarantine for 14 days,” Ismail added.
Regarding the request of Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) to have health screening tests on all workers for more than once Ismail said, the government has directed all foreign workers in the construction sites in Selangor and Federal Territory to have swab tests as some places in these two states are in red zones and 60% of the workers are members of Perkeso.
“The costs of swab tests on foreign workers are being borne by Perkeso and the company. The government leaves it to MTUC for workers to have more swabs but the SOP of National Security Council (NSC) and Department of Works remain,” he added.
On the Friday prayers that were performed yesterday in the mosques and surau in the Federal Territories and the states, Ismail said they were reports on non-compliance of the SOP where people have prayed outside the premises.
“To ensure the SOP is adhered to by the people during Friday prayers, the Royal Police of Malaysia (RPM) and the People’s Volunteer Corps will be called to monitor and take action on those who defy the procedure,” he reiterated.
Ismail also warned the media to observe social distancing while covering events as it is in the SOP of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
The Senior Minister said that following a picture of photographers from the media did not have social distancing when covering the Friday prayers in one of the mosques went viral on social media yesterday. -Malaysia World News
