KUALA LUMPUR: Starting tomorrow travellers from Sabah to the peninsular will only need to undergo the Covid-19 swab test three days before their departure date.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said those found negative of Covid-19 would not be required to be placed under quarantine for 14 days after arriving from Sabah.
"Those found negative will also go through fever and symptom screening, undergo Covid-19 swab test report checks and register using MySejahtera upon arrival at the domestic arrival in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan," he said in a statement.
Dr Adham Baba said the matter was discussed during the special National Security Council meeting on Monday.
He said the Health Ministry had reviewed the Covid-19 screening procedures and mandatory quarantine procedures of those who have arrived from Sabah after a month and half the screening procedures were imposed against those who had a travel history to Sabah.
"If they test positive or if they have symptoms, they are not allowed to continue their journey out of Sabah.
"For those who test positive they will be referred to the hospital for isolation, treatment and monitoring while for symptomatic individuals, they will be referred to undergo an examination," he said.
Dr Adham noted the Sabah Covid-19 cases were on the decline compared with Klang Valley area.
"Based on the positive cases in week-43, the latest cases recorded in Sabah was 4,548 compared to the weekly cases in Klang Valley at 821.
"The latest cases in Sabah are 3,073 in the week-47 showing a downward trend of 32.4 per cent compared to Klang Valley at 3,041 cases an increase of 270 per cent," he said.
Since Oct 11, all travellers with history to Sabah were required to follow existing procedures such as screening test, registering using the MySejahtera application and undergo swab test twice including the latest directive of being under a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
The guideline was implemented following a high number of positive Covid-19 cases from involving those who have returned from visiting Sabah especially after the state election which was held in September.