Minister refutes report, says quarantine hotels agreed to RM150 rate

The payment cap of RM150 per day for hotels used as Covid-19 quarantine centres is what has been agreed upon by the government and hotels that signed up to the initiative, says senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He refuted the Malaysian Association of Hotels' (MAH) claim today that hotels that allowed themselves to be used as quarantine centres have agreed to charge a certain rate, and this is to be fully borne by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac).

"We were informed that the rate has been agreed upon," said Ismail in a text message to Malaysiakini today.

He was asked to a report published by Free Malaysia Today, which quoted the association's CEO Yap Lip Seng saying they were not aware of a RM150 cap imposed by the government.

"RM150 is paid by the government based on our agreement with hotels that have registered (to become quarantine centres)," Ismail (above) added.

The minister, who is in charge of security cluster, said he is getting an explanation over the matter from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and Motac, and will address the issue further at his daily press conference on the movement control order tomorrow.

During today's press conference, Ismail told reporters that the government will only pay RM150 per day for those undergoing quarantine at 45 hotels in the country that have been designated as quarantine centres.

He said the government had contracted for hotels that where rated three-stars and above, but the maximum amount to be reimbursed to the hotel was RM150 a day.

Following this, MAH had responded by reportedly telling Free Malaysia Today that this was not "what we were briefed".

Yap, however, reportedly declined to reveal the quantum of rates that have been agreed between hotels and the government to have them used for quarantine, except that they agreed to offer a "very low rate" which would supposedly be paid in full by Motac. - Mkini