The government has allowed the entry of healthcare travellers involving critically ill patients who require treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) or High Dependency Unit (HDU).

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (picture) said the permission are for those categorised under phase 1A and 1B to be in use during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) and while international travel restrictions are in force.

“As announced previously, the Special Ministerial Meeting on the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has agreed to allow the entry of foreigners for health tourism purposes.

“Permission for phase 1A travellers is only given for travel via air-routes and one only one caregiver is allowed to accompany the patient,” he said in a statement today.

Ismail Sabri said for patients under the age of 12, two caregivers are allowed.

However he said the caregivers must be in the same room with the patient throughout the treatment period.

Ismail Sabri said, for phase 1B, permission will be given to travellers with serious illness including cancer (oncology) and heart problems (cardiology).

“Foreigners involved are required to obtain appointment letters first from hospitals registered with the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC).

“They also need to undergo COVID-19 screening three days before entering Malaysian borders and complete the pre-entry conditions including downloading the MySejahtera application,” he said.

Upon arriving at the airport, transportation to the hospitals must be arranged by the hospital and MHTC.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the police Compliance Operations Task Force conducted 65,937 inspections yesterday.

He said through the inspections, four individuals were detained for violating the RMCO.

“Two of them were remanded while the other two were issued compounds involving activities at pub (one), reflexology centre (two) and one activity which violated the standard operating procedures.