JOHOR BARU: The Johor Health Department has no knowledge of the case of a Malaysian who was barred from entering Singapore due to his recent history of travelling to China.
Its director Dr Aman Rabu said at the moment there was no directive for the background check and screening of Malaysians who are travelling overseas.
"Malaysians who are travelling overseas are not screened unless there is a strong reason to do so, like if the traveller shows symptoms of the virus (Wuhan coronavirus)," Dr Aman said when contacted by the New Straits Times.
He was commenting on a statement by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that a Malaysian was one of 15 travellers who were barred from entering the republic as at 1pm on Sunday.
ICA said the travellers were barred due to either their travel histories to mainland China in the last 14 days or suspension of visa facilities that took effect on midnight Saturday.
The statement, however, did not mention whether the Malaysian was stopped by the ICA at the republic's airport or at one of the two checkpoints in Johor.
On Jan 31, Singapore announced that all new visitors with travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days would not be allowed entry into or to transit through Singapore from Feb 1.
The decision was taken by the Singapore Multi-Ministry Taskforce on the Wuhan coronavirus to limit the potential risk that new travellers arriving from mainland China may pose to Singapore.