CORONAVIRUS | Foreign Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has urged Malaysians abroad to register with the embassy to enable the latter to monitor and assist them in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak.
"I have urged our embassies to keep in touch with Malaysians in respective countries as we have to take a proactive measure.
"While our embassies constantly engage them, they have to put in their efforts too, it's a two-way communication.
"It's important for them to inform our embassies and missions on their whereabouts and be very honest as to where they have been.
"The problem is when they hide their past journeys," Hishammuddin told the media in a press conference at Wisma Putra today.
He cited an instance in Italy, which is now under lockdown following worsening conditions of the outbreak there, where only 380 Malaysians registered with the embassy there.
In Iran, the embassy managed to register only 67 Malaysians. Embassies in South Korea and Japan registered 4,297 and 6,019 respectively.
11 Malaysians tested positive abroad
Hishammuddin also noted that Wisma Putra has obtained information that 11 Malaysians have tested positive for Covid-19 but four of them have been discharged.
This includes nine Malaysians in Singapore where two were discharged and two Malaysians in Japan who were also discharged and returned home.
However, Hishammuddin (above) said that the ministry will not divulge details as they liaise with other relevant ministries.
"At the moment, it's not fair for us to tell the details because we don't know their status whether they have recovered or otherwise.
"On the Wisma Putra side, its safe for me to say, once they are on our radar, we want to make sure they are safe, and they are back home," he said.
Seeking better coordination among countries
Hishammuddin also stressed the importance of having better coordination with countries affected by Covid-19 and he had started discussions with various leaders from Arab countries including Crown Prince Faisal of Saudi, his counterpart in UAE Sheikh Abdullah Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as the foreign minister of Turkey.
"With Prince Faisal, it's a very good discussion.
"He intended to come to Malaysia this weekend, but because of Covid-19, (I advised him) better not to.
"Responses with other ministers were also quite encouraging too," he said.
He added that Prince Faisal will visit the country to meet him on March 19.
Hishammuddin said he is also expected to meet Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at 3pm today to discuss the outbreak.
King Salman Centre plan
Asked if he is keen to revive the plan to set up the King Salman Centre for International Peace which was scrapped during the Pakatan Harapan government, Hishammuddin said the priority now is on Covid-19.
"That's a security issue. So I hope when our relationship (with Saudi) is back on the right track, it will be discussed with the highest level which is the prime minister himself.
"I believe whatever the decision is, it must be based on the interest of the country.
"At that time (under the BN government), the issue was terrorism and there was this urgency to start this centre... but our priority right now is not so much on terrorism, but on a virus which is not visible to the eyes," he said.
MACC to monitor Wisma Putra officers
Meanwhile, in his efforts to curb the abuse of power and corruption in his ministry, Hishammuddin said he had asked the MACC to filter and monitor his officers and employees.
"MACC has to continue to filter so that the people are confident.
"I am concerned that sometimes when lower-level officers commit wrongdoing, it's the leaders who have to be responsible to answer for the wrongdoings committed by them," he said. - Mkini
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