PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians with foreign spouses who were unable to apply for long term social visit passes during the Movement Control Order can do so now at the Immigration Department.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government has allowed its citizens with foreign spouses and their non-Malaysian children to enter Malaysia.
"We have agreed to not just let our Malaysians come home, but their foreign spouses as well as their children. However, we ask that they apply for the passes from the Immigration Department and get the approval before flying home.
"My advice is they should not come to Malaysia immediately as I have received reports of those who arrived in KLIA but were not allowed to enter. Only Malaysians were given entry and not the other non-Malaysian family members.
"So to avoid being stranded or forced to return to their countries of origin, they must get the green light from the department then only buy plane tickets to come home," said Ismail in a live telecast press conference today.
He added that from June 10 at the start of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) up to yesterday, 4,394 Malaysians have returned home via KLIA, out of which 4,375 were ordered to undergo home quarantine while 19 were brought to the hospital after being tested positive for Covid-19.
Ismail said 97 individuals were arrested for flouting the RMCO yesterday, of which 28 offenders have been remanded while 69 were compounded.
Among the offences committed were being at a karaoke centre or entertainment outlets (41 cases); involved in reflexology and massage activities (12) and others that deter social distancing (44).
He added that from May 1 up to yesterday, a total of 977 illegals and 161 boat skippers were arrested for attempting to enter the country illegally via rat trails.
Also detained were 36 individuals believed to be smugglers and 26 ships.
The Construction Industry Development Board, he added, had yesterday ordered 19 construction sites to close for not adhering to Standard Operating Procedures while 421 others were given warnings.