Gov’t urged to reconsider making returning Malaysians share quarantine cost

The Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) has urged the government to reconsider making Malaysians returning from abroad pay for part of the cost of their quarantine.

Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid (above) said the high cost of being quarantined in a hotel would be a burden for workers and students.

“It is very burdensome if Malaysian who go overseas for work, business, government posts or studies have to bear the cost of quarantine when they return.

“To save costs, the government should choose cheaper premises that would not be a burden for Malaysians when bearing the cost,” he said.

He suggested the government could cut costs by quarantining travellers at various training centres in and around Kuala Lumpur.

He said the government should also account for how donations meant to support people affected by Covid-19 have been spent and suggested some of the funds be channelled to pay for quarantines.

Currently, only Malaysians and foreigners with long-term passes are allowed to reenter Malaysia, but they would be subject to health screenings as well as a 14-day quarantine.

Long-term social visit pass (LTSVP) holders and permanent residents (PR) will have to bear the cost of their quarantine while the quarantine of Malaysian citizens will be paid for by the government.

Beginning June 1, however, the government will require returning citizens to pay half the cost of their quarantine which could add up to RM1,050 for the entire 14-day period.

Meanwhile, on May 9, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said that the government had collected RM40,298,699.49 in donations for those affected by Covid-19.

Of this, RM25,229,105.44 (62 percent) had been channelled to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s "Yayasan Kebajikan Negara".

Another RM335,000 had been distributed under the "Bantuan Ihsan Kematian" scheme to 71 next-of-kin of those who passed away from Covid-19. They each received RM5,000.

The government also channelled RM125,700 under the "Bantuan Khas Hilang Pendapatan" scheme under which 94 individuals whose incomes were affected as a result of Covid-19 quarantine or treatment received RM100 per day for the duration of their quarantine or treatment.

Based on the minister's explanation, RM14,608,894 remains in the fund at this time. - Mkini