Sabah Immigration chief denies he reacted badly when told to self-quarantine

Sabah Immigration Department director Datuk Muhamad Sade Mohd Amin.-filepic

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Immigration director Datuk Muhamad Sade has denied a report claiming he berated health officials when they issued him with a home quarantine notice upon returning from Peninsular Malaysia.

Muhamad said there was a misunderstanding over the matter and how it was handled when he returned on April 16.

“I did not get angry nor did I fight with any officials as claimed by the article, ” he said on Thursday (April 24).

He said there was a misunderstanding over the rules and whether those in the essential services sector were required to undergo quarantine.

Muhamad also said he is still on duty.

On April 21, Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud issued a statement on the matter and said it had been resolved.

“We sent an email to the Health Department staff to investigate his complaints and also apologised for the incident which could have sparked due to a misunderstanding, ” he said.

He said a letter of explanation from the Sabah Immigration director had also been forwarded to the Sabah Health Department.

Khairul also said Immigration Department respects and appreciates the commitment of all health officials fighting Covid-19.

He said the Immigration Department always sees health workers as their strategic partners in the frontlines and in dealing with entries of foreign visitors to the country.

According to an online article on April 20, Muhamad had cursed at and scolded health officials when he was issued the letter. - Star