Putrajaya reverses home quarantine for returnees under Malaysia-Singapore scheme

COVID-19 | Putrajaya has walked back the easing of allowing home quarantine for Malaysians workers returning for short-term home leave in Malaysia under a special arrangement between Malaysia and Singapore.

This is after a Malaysian travelling home under the bilateral arrangement, referred to as “Periodic Commuting Arrangement”, was infected with Covid-19.

“The patient has since been isolated and given treatment.

“As such, those travelling under the PCA will no longer be allowed to quarantine at home but would instead have to be kept in quarantine centres,” Health Minister Adham Baba was quoted as saying by The Star.

Under previous rules published by Malaysia's Immigration Department, Malaysians working in Singapore who return for short-term leave to Malaysia under the PCA scheme may self-isolate themselves, pending the results of their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

The guideline adds: "If tested negative, travellers are required to visit the nearest government health facility to be exempted from the 14-day Home Surveillance Order (HSO)".

Adham said the returnees must now be isolated at designated centres at their own cost.

Adham Baba

However, he did not say whether there will be any changes to the policy of allowing quarantine exemption once they test negative.

This is a special provision under the PCA. Ordinary returnees are required to be quarantined for 14 days, even if they test negative.

The report said a 35-year-old Malaysian man travelling from Singapore to Malaysia on Aug 29 under the PCA scheme was confirmed to have been infected with Covid-19 on Sept 2.

Returning under the PCA scheme can only be done every 90 days.

Apart from the PCA scheme, Malaysia and Singapore also have the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) scheme, which is for any nationality residing in Singapore who needs to make single-entry essential travel, including for business and official purposes, in Malaysia and vice-versa.

Adham said since the PCA and RGL arrangements started on Aug 17, more than 3,000 people have entered Malaysia under the schemes.

"About 815 individuals entered Malaysia under the RGL while another 2,647 under the PCA," he said. - Mkini