KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — The French national who was spotted at the Langkawi International Airport donning the pink quarantine wristband was initially allowed to isolate himself at home in accordance with exemptions provided under Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.
The director-general of the Ministry of Health (MOH), however, said that the exemption was later rescinded, as the government’s July 24 rule no longer permitted home quarantines for those returning back to the country.
“However, since the government had re-mandated all travellers arriving in Malaysia to undergo quarantine for 14 days at the quarantine stations beginning July 24, 2020, therefore, the condition regarding home quarantine for MM2H participants is void,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also added that the man, who is an MM2H participant, had tested negative upon arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on August 20, after which he was allowed to take a domestic flight to Langkawi, where he lives.
“Therefore, upon arriving at the Langkawi International Airport, the said traveller was stopped by the General Operations Force (PGA) team, as he was wearing the pink wristband, indicating his status as a person under investigation (PUI), and being in a public place,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said that the man has since been sent to a quarantine station in Langkawi on August 20, at 7.30pm.
He also thanked the PGA and members of the public for being detecting the man and alerting the authorities.
Earlier today, Langkawi district police chief Supt Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said that the French national has been ordered to undergo quarantine at the Ayer Hangat Health Clinic, Bernama reported.
Mohd Iqbal said the order was issued by the MOH.
Bernama reported that the 64-year-old man was detected wearing the pink wristband on arrival at the KLIA, where he underwent screening for Covid-19 upon arriving from Doha, Qatar.
After testing negative, he was allowed to self-quarantine at home.
The issue caused public uproar again, after news reports that a Cabinet minister had flouted his 14-day self-quarantine order created a social media storm.
An online petition was also started, demanding for the resignation of plantation industries and commodities minister, Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, for not abiding by the rule, which social media users noted was sternly imposed on the public.
Mohd Khairuddin had travelled to Turkey.
