Returnees have 14 days to settle quarantine charges

by S BIRRUNTHA/ pic by BERNAMA

INDIVIDUALS returning from abroad who are quarantined at quarantine stations must complete the payment of their quarantine charges within 14 days.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said they could be fined RM1,000 and face court action if they failed to settle the payment within the stipulated period.

“Individuals who refuse to pay quarantine charges or sign the letter of undertaking and indemnity (LoU) will be sent to the Public Training Institute (ILA) as it belongs to the government and the placement of the individuals involved can be done without payment of advance deposits.

“This is to prevent the individual involved from being exposed to the public,” he said in his Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) statement yesterday.

The minister said at ILAs, returnees would have to settle the payment of quarantine charges of RM150 per day within 14 days.

However, cardholders of disabilities (OKUs) and students from the bottom 40% household income range (B40) families can apply for the exemption of payment for quarantine cost.

He added that upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), such students must inform the secretariat on duty.

“The review for payment exemption will be made by referring to the Inland Revenue Board database.

“After confirmation is made, eligible students will be given an approval form and it must be submitted to the hotel when registering for the room,” he said.

For students who have graduated, Ismail Sabri said those under sponsorship do not have to pay quarantine costs because the costs are borne by the sponsors.

From July 24 until Aug 3, a total of 5,281 individuals have returned through the international border entrance.

All of them were housed in 21 hotels and five ILAs in Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Sarawak, Selangor, Perak and Johor, while 13 individuals were hospitalised.

Separately, the country recorded only one new Covid-19 case yesterday, involving a local transmission detected in Perlis.

Health DG Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the case was detected after conducting screening for patients who have severe acute respiratory infection.

Yesterday’s new case has brought the country’s overall total to 9,002.

There are now 193 active Covid-19 cases that are being treated at health facilities nationwide with no patients being treated at the intensive care unit or needing ventilator support.

Sixteen patients have recovered yesterday, increasing the total recovered cases in the country to 8,684, which equals to 96.5%.

No new deaths have been recorded yesterday and the tally remains at 125.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry denied the viral message on social media saying students and parents who spent the Aidiladha holidays in Kubang Pasu, Kedah, must undergo Covid-19 screening.

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry had not issued such a directive and, in fact, only individuals linked to the Sivagangga cluster are urged to do so.

“Individuals who need to undergo screening are those who have a close contact history with Covid-19 positive cases and residents who are in the area of Enhanced MCO,” he added.

He said the area involves a one-kilometre radius from Nasi Kandar Salleh Restaurant, Pekan Napoh, Kampung Pida Satu, Megat Dewa, Kampung Bendang Dalam and Kampung Ulu Padang Sanai.