KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students stranded in their hostels are now allowed to return home to their respective hometowns, including Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, effective Nov 20.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the permission was given after the varsity's Alumni and Student Affairs Department received many requests from parents.
"However, students who have returned home are not allowed to re-enter the campus. Students can apply for permission to return to their hometown from their respective faculty.
"At the same time, they are also required to submit a declaration letter from parents and the student himself/herself to leave the campus at their respective residential college office," he said during a press conference on Sabah Covid-19 here, today.
Masidi, who is also the chairman of UMS Board of Directors, was responding to a question on parents requesting that their children be allowed to return home to Peninsular Malaysia.
He said the state government and UMS management were always concerned with the welfare of the UMS students, especially students who are not able return to their hometowns during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
As such, Masidi said the varsity student affairs management had provided various aid and programmes to ensure students' mental health as well as welfare were taken care of while they remain at their campus.
This includes providing transportation for them should they need to go out of the campus compound to attend to important matters such as bank, hospital, and police station among others.
Today, Sabah recorded 289 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths, while 416 patients were discharged. Nabawan remains a green zone, with Masidi praising the district and its residents for high level of compliance.
He also noted less travel movement into the district, small population, and effective roadblocks could be the contributing factors to zero case in Nabawan.
Whether the state government would reopen tourism should CMCO be extended, Masidi said they would request the National Security Council to extend the order if necessary and to review operating permits for activities in existing economic sectors, including tourism.
"We are still subject to the current SOP that is inter-district travel is not allowed. It is difficult for domestic tourism to resume.
"However, for a green or yellow zone district, there should be no problem for the people to travel and go on holiday within a district. That can be done but SOP needs to be complied," he said.
He also said for business owners should make proper request if they wish to operate until midnight, adding the state government will discuss the need through the Sabah Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee.
For now, all business premises in Sabah are only allowed to operate until 10pm.