KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will be not preparing transportation home for Malaysians who have tested negative for Covid-19 after their mandatory quarantine upon return to the country from abroad, but will instead be coordinating their trips home, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob clarified today.
Ismail Sabri noted that some had thought his previous remark of Nadma’s coordination of transport for those released from quarantine meant that Nadma would prepare vehicles for their trip home, but he said that he had only meant that Nadma would carry out coordination works by issuing letters to allow for a family member to do pick-ups from quarantine centres.
“What will be done by Nadma is to coordinate their return, for example, the family can pick them up at the quarantine centre to bring them home from the quarantine centre, but only one driver will be allowed to bring them home.
“If they are as a family, they can be brought home in one car, as they have already undergone swab tests when at the quarantine centre. Nadma will issue a letter for approval of movement as they are negative for Covid-19, so they are already declared clean and safe by the Health Ministry, that’s why we allow,” he said in a press conference broadcast “live”.
Ismail Sabri said the secretariat at the quarantine centres will also help to coordinate e-hailing or taxi services if required by individuals released from quarantine, with the condition that the fares are paid by the individuals who need such services to return home after quarantine.
For those who are released from quarantine in Peninsular Malaysia and wish to return to their homes in Sabah or Sarawak after quarantine, Ismail Sabri said Nadma will coordinate their movements to airports.
As of today, there are 221 quarantine centres in operation throughout the country, with 17,705 individuals currently undergoing mandatory quarantine.
A total of 1,059 Malaysians yesterday returned to the country and were put into mandatory quarantine, which means that so far 22,339 Malaysians have returned from abroad and were placed in mandatory quarantine since April 3.
Since April 17, a total of 8,207 individuals have completed their mandatory quarantine and were allowed to return home.
