KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Higher Education Minister Datuk Noraini Ahmad has asked institutions of higher learning across Malaysia to provide shelter for stranded students once the two-week movement control order comes into force at midnight.
“I appeal to institutions of higher learning to provide temporary accommodation for students who are unable to return to their respective villages and hometowns,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
The order was announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last night, and will be in place until March 31. This will affect all business premises as they will have to shut down, with supermarkets and grocery stores selling daily essentials being exempted.
All government and private premises will also be closed during the movement control order, except for essential services such as utilities, telecommunications, transport, banking, health, pharmacies, ports, airports, cleaning and food supplies.
The minister also urged university students on campuses nationwide to remain calm.
She said the Higher Education Ministry is aware of the administrative circulars issued by several public universities for their students to vacate campus premises.
“Yet the worry is the rush to return home will aggravate the situation, leaving students more vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic if this is not done in a systematic manner,” Noraini added in her Facebook post.
“Students are requested to monitor instructions that will be issued by the National Security Council from time to time. God willing, we will successfully overcome this pandemic together.”
At present, 673 people in Malaysia have been infected with the virus, including 120 new cases reported today alone. The pandemic has since claimed two lives, a 34-year old man from Johor and a 60-year old pastor in Sarawak.
