KUALA LUMPUR: The government has scrapped the home quarantine order for Malaysians returning from overseas as well as new foreign arrivals, who must now serve out their 14-day Covid-19 isolation period at designated quarantine stations.
The move follows several cases of People Under Surveillance (PUSs) flouting the strict restrictions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of their home quarantine order.
Arrivals to the country will now be taken directly from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to quarantine centres, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the government views seriously the breach of SOPs, specifically in the case of a woman who had reportedly enjoyed a meal at a restaurant while showing off her government-issued wristband in Perak.
Their lackadaisical attitude, he said, could increase the risk of Covid-19 being transmitted to their family members and the people around them.
"It is clear that that individual had flouted the SOPs as directed by the government. Therefore, the special ministerial meeting on the Movement Control Order (MCO) had decided that starting Friday (July 24), all Malaysians and foreigners entering the country will be placed at quarantine centres set by the government.
"There will be no more mandatory home quarantine like we had before the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).
"Those involved will also have to bear the cost of quarantine, which will be at public training institutes or hotels, based on the cost that was agreed on before," he said during a press conference at the Parliament building today.
The Senior Defence Minister added that the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Health Ministry will immediately identify and gazette public training institutes and hotels as quarantine stations.
Ismail Sabri added that Malaysians returning home do not need to undergo swab tests at their countries of origin, while it is a requirement for foreigners to do so before flying into the country.
He said from June 10 until yesterday (July 20), 22,480 Malaysians returned home via KLIA, of which 78 were taken to hospital.
Yesterday, all 403 Malaysians who arrived via KLIA and klia2 were told to undergo the mandatory home quarantine.
Ismail Sabri expressed worry over the drastic upward trend of Covid-19 cases globally, which will possibly contribute to rising statistics in Malaysia.