Mohamed Basyir
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is adamant it was not informed of any incoming medical tourists to the state though the federal government had mentioned otherwise.
Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said he met with the airlines and the hospital representatives, who confirmed that they liaised directly with Federal authorities for all arrangements related to the charter flight.
He said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong should not divert public attention from the federal government's failure to notify the state about the arrival of the chartered flight from Medan, Indonesia to the state.
"During this pandemic, the Penang government's priority remains unchanged, which is to prioritise the safety and health of Penangites.
"This is also in line with my meeting with the Indonesian Consul-General in July this year where I emphasised that Penang will further collaborate with Indonesia to promote medical tourism after the pandemic.
"However, this was taken out of context by certain parties," he said in a statement today.
Penang received its first medical charter flight from Indonesia last Friday.
Following the report, the state came under intense fire from various quarters.
Three patients - two of whom had cancer and another who needed immediate medical care - had fully complied with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the federal government, including the Immigration Department and Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.
Wee said the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) did not receive any notice of objection from the Penang government on the chartered flight.
He also pointed out that they did not receive any instructions from the National Security Council to disallow chartered medical flights from entering Penang.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that Penang had written to the Immigration Department to temporarily suspend incoming medical tourists.