KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today that Malaysians working in Singapore can only return if they have been certified free of the Covid-19 infection by Singaporean health authorities.
He said that this is the initial agreement between the Malaysian and Singapore governments — that those returning must be screened for Covid-19.
“Our instruction is that they can’t return unless they get approval that they are free from Covid-19 from the Singapore government,” he told a press conference this afternoon.
“After going through the screening process they have to get a letter from the Singapore authorities that they tested negative for Covid-19. Only then they are allowed to return. This is our agreement,” he added.
However, Ismail Sabri pointed out that there may be some changes in the rules set by the working committee formed by both sides’ Human Resources and Foreign Affairs Ministries.
“The working committee can negotiate on the rules set in the initial agreement. Hopefully, the Foreign Ministry will inform the new rules, which has been agreed by both the governments tomorrow,” he said.
Despite thousands of Malaysians in Singapore waiting to return home, Ismail Sabri said only three person have crossed the border so far.
Separately, Ismail Sabri also said that the Rohingya who were detained for landing in Pulau Langkawi will not be sent back immediately, but will be quarantined.
“Since they are already in our waters, it will be responsibility to look after their interests.
“Therefore, they will be quarantined in Pulau Langkawi. The Foreign Ministry, the Immigration Department and National Disaster Management Agency have been assigned to assist them,” he said.
