Malayia to bring home citizens from India and Iran, still in talks with Italy

CORONAVIRUS | Malaysia has made arrangements to bring home 1,565 citizens in Iran and India amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Those stranded in Italy, however, will need to wait a little longer as discussions are still ongoing in light of the European nation’s decision to bar planes from landing.

In a broadcasted announcement today, Deputy Foreign Minister Kamarudin Jaffar said that the AirAsia flight from Tehran, Iran is scheduled to arrive at 6.10am tomorrow (March 22).

Onboard will be 46 Malaysians along with eight Singaporeans and one Indonesian whom the country has agreed to help bring back.

Fifteen crew members as well as eight officers - five from the Health Ministry, two from Wisma Putra and one from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) - will also be on board.

“In line with procedures set by the Health Ministry, all who are brought home will be quarantined for 14 days at a public training institute which will be determined.

“This quarantine process is important to allow us to monitor their health and offer any treatment if needed,” the minister said. 

India

As for the 1,519 Malaysians stranded in India, six AirAsia planes will bring home 1,116 of them from Chennai and Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu state. 

The remaining 403 will be brought home on two Malaysia Airlines flights from Chennai and Mumbai.

“The Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi is trying to get permission from the Indian government for these two MAS planes to land,” the minister said.

Kamarudin did not mention the scheduled date of departure or arrival, only that they would be repatriated the “soonest”.

He added that the RM1.05 million cost incurred through chartering the AirAsia flights will be sponsored by BN component party MIC.

He was flanked by Human Resources Minister and MIC deputy president M Saravanan (below, left) during the announcement today. 

Italy

There are also 82 Malaysians in Italy.

“For now, Wisma Putra is doing all we can including having discussions with the Italian government to allow us special permission for our repatriate mission from Italy as soon as possible,” the minister said.

He added that the group was supposed to land in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (March 23) but this plan was now off as the Italian Civil Aviation Authority has banned all flights in and out of the country.

Italy has registered the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in the world, higher than China where the virus began.

As of today, it reported 47,021 cases and 4,032 deaths.

Iran is also badly hit, with 19,644 cases and 1,433 deaths.

India, meanwhile, has 236 cases and four deaths due to the virus. - Mkini