By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Apr 18: Only those with emergency matters are allowed to take domestic flights during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period but passengers are advised to get permission from police first before booking their flights.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob emphasised that the policy or standard operating procedure (SOP) for inter-state travel through air, land, and sea during MCO remained the same.
“As such, passengers who intend to fly, the SOP is the same of that applied for land and sea travel, which is allowed for emergency cases only like for example, family members who are ill and in need of medical treatment,” he told a daily press conference on MCO in Putrajaya today.
However, he advised anyone intending to make inter-state travel either by land or air to obtain permission from police first.
“They can use any form of transport but must first obtain permission from the police because movement between states is not allowed during MCO.
“Under Act 342, it is an offence to travel beyond 10 km from your place of stay.
“So don’t book your flights before getting permission, in case you get to the airport and later find out you are not allowed to board the flight,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri reiterated that there was no issue on the limited flight operations between Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak because passengers will still undergo compulsory quarantine in their home state.
“Ministry of Transport (MOT) informed that there are no domestic flight operations within Peninsula Malaysia while there is one flight per week between Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak.
“Anyone returning to Sabah and Sarawak must be quarantined in their home state. So there is no issue here about the status of their health because they will still undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated facility,” he assured.—DayakDaily
