Dr Mahathir said there is no urgency so far to take that step, before adding that Putrajaya is still reviewing such a policy.
“For now, there is no need for that,” Dr Mahathir said during a short press conference after attending a stakeholders’ gathering organised by the Rural Development Ministry here.
“We will do a study as to whether we need to stop all the flights or just from Wuhan, Hubei province only.”
The Sarawak government today disallowed China students, who are studying in the state, from re-entering after their Chinese New Year holidays in their home country out of fear that they may be 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) carriers.
Sabah, meanwhile, suspended all scheduled and chartered flights from China in a heightened bid to contain the spread of the virus.
Earlier this week, Putrajaya announced a temporary ban on residents from Hubei province and its capital city of Wuhan from entering Malaysia by suspending all available visa programmes facilitating their entry here.
On Putrajaya’s efforts to evacuate Malaysians trapped in the Hubei province, Dr Mahathir said that discussions with the Chinese government had just begun and a response from its authorities had yet to be received.
“We just started talking with them. Haven’t got a response yet,” Dr Mahathir said.
Earlier, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad announced a special task force to locate and bring back Malaysians currently still in Hubei province.
The task force, called the Special Committee for Humanitarian Assistance, will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Disaster Management Agency, National Security Council and local carriers Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.
The Health Ministry confirmed today a new 2019-nCoV infection, bringing the country’s total to eight.
KKMPutrajaya✔@KKMPutrajayaStatistik terkini novel #coronavirus atau #2019nCoV di seluruh dunia.Anda dinasihat tangguhkan perjalanan ke China atau jika tidak dapat dielakkan, amalkan langkah-langkah pencegahan yang disarankan KKM.
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Health minister: MAS, AirAsia part of Wuhan evacuation plan
The government has engaged Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia to bring back Malaysians trapped in Wuhan, China.
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said a government task force for this mission was activated today, headed by the National Disaster Management Agency, Wisma Putra, and the Health Ministry.
He said other agencies involved include the National Security Council and the Armed Forces.
Speaking at a press conference in Putrajaya today, Dzulkefly said Wisma Putra will be engaging with Beijing to work out an extraction process.
There are 78 Malaysians in Wuhan, which is ground zero for the novel coronavirus. None of them have been reported as infected with the virus.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the situation in Wuhan was dire due to a shortage of food supply in the city.
Malaysia also plans to send food and medical supplies to Wuhan if the mission is carried out.
US and Japanese nationals have already been evacuated from the city, which is under lockdown. Discussions are also underway to evacuate Australians in Wuhan.
Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said Malaysian students and lecturers who have returned from China for holidays will be placed under home surveillance.
He said they have been identified in a joint effort with the Education Ministry. Those identified will be given a medical warning card and a home assessment tool.
They are required to check themselves into a medical facility immediately if they begin showing symptoms of the virus.
So far, there are eight confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the country, all involving China nationals.
One of those infected was a woman previously declared negative, but fell ill while looking after her two infected children.
Dzulkefly said it was unclear if it were caused by human-to-human transmission.
Five people, including three Malaysians, are awaiting lab results on whether they have been infected with the virus.
Eighty-one people, including 41 Malaysians, have tested negative.
MKINI
MALAY MAIL /MKINI
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