By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Apr 3: Sarawakians and Sabahans returning to the country will not be sent straight to the government quarantine centres but will be allowed to transit through Kuala Lumpur to their respective destinations in Sarawak and Sabah.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob explained that passengers from Sabah and Sarawak do not need to exit the airport and be sent to the quarantine centres set up by the federal government in Kuala Lumpur and areas in Peninsula Malaysia.
“Those coming back, either on chartered or commercial flights, can transit through KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and continue their journey to Sabah and Sarawak. We will allow that,” he told a press conference on the Movement Control Order (MCO) at Putrajaya today.
However, Sabri emphasised that they will still need to go undergo quarantine for 14 days in their respective home states.
“I was informed during the meeting earlier that policies by the state government of Sabah and Sarawak have required that the people returning from overseas including Peninsula Malaysia be quarantined.
“That’s why we allowed the passengers to return to Sabah and Sarawak as they will be quarantined in their respective home states,” he said.
Effective today, the goverment of Malaysia has imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine for all passengers arriving into the country.
Upon arrival, passengers will undergo screening by the health authorities before being sent to designated government quarantine centres which are up and ready.
On whether Ramadan bazaar will be allowed to go on, Sabri stressed that they were strictly not allowed during the MCO period even in the event that the Order is extended.
“However, when the MCO ends, the National Security Council (NSC) will come up with an SOP (standard operation procedure) post-MCO.
“So the issue of Ramadan bazaar will be addressed after this (MCO) whether to be implemented or implemented with a set of guidelines,” he added.—DayakDaily
