KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — A total of 841 Malaysians are currently stranded in 20 countries, following the enforcement of regulations or travel restrictions as a preventive measure in the respective countries to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar said all 841 stranded Malaysians have been provided consular service by Malaysian diplomats overseas including temporary accommodation advice, alternative flight routes and other related assistance.

"Malaysians stranded overseas are requested to remain calm and contact our representatives while taking precautionary measures to avoid getting infected by Covid-19. 

"Malaysians overseas are also urged to register themselves at their nearest Malaysian embassy,” he said in a statement here.

According to Wisma Putra, a total of 274 Malaysians are currently stranded in India, followed by 209 in Uzbekistan and 160 in Morocco.

The remaining countries consisted of Egypt (43), Saudi Arabia (28), Bangladesh (26), Sweden (26), Spain (19), Austria (19), Montenegro (8), Finland (8), Ukraine (7), Switzerland (5), Norway (5), Maldives (4), Poland (3), Hungary (2) and Lithuania, Panama and Ecuador (one each).

Kamarudin also said through the involvement of Wisma Putra in facilitating the return of Malaysians overseas, a total of 116 stranded Malaysians have successfully been repatriated from Morocco (113) and Maldives (3).

He also said as announced by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, the government’s restriction of movement order which came into effect today did not forbid the return of Malaysians from overseas.

Malaysia is under the government’s restriction of movement order now from today until March 31, with all public gatherings banned with the aim of preventing crowds from forming and to slow the spread of Covid-19.