KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that students who are stranded at higher learning institutions are not allowed to return to their hometowns during the third phase of the movement control order (MCO), which will end on April 28, despite appeals from both students and parents.
Ismail Sabri said the decision has been taken in light of the fact that a new cluster of Covid-19 infections may occur should a mass exodus of students be allowed.
He added that the sheer number of students on the move would also affect the monitoring of roadblocks by the police nationwide.
“We listened to the advice of the Health Ministry and also the police and decided that students at the higher learning institutions should remain at their respective universities until MCO is over,” he said during his daily press briefing this afternoon.
“This is to make sure that we achieve our aim of stopping the chain of infections,” he added.
Ismail Sabri said that the government will continue to look after the students’ welfare and food supply throughout the MCO period.
“All costs for their welfare and food will be borne by the government,” he said.
“I hope all the students understand that the decision is to protect their interests and also that of their families and the people around them,” he added.
