The Health Ministry has refuted claims that students will have to pay up to RM100 for medical checkups for admission to government-owned schools, as alleged on social media.

Health Ministry secretary-general Dr Chen Chaw Min told Bernama that all students to all government-owned schools, including fully residential schools, would only be charged RM1.

However, Chen explained that students in private schools will be charged RM100 for basic medical checkups in accordance with the Fees (Medical) Order 1982.

In an earlier statement, he said students in all government boarding schools – encompassing all schools under the management of the Education Ministry and other government agencies, including the Mara Junior Science Colleges, Royal Military College and the state religious schools – will only be charged the RM1 fee.

Yesterday, a Facebook user named Al Khair claimed that he was informed that there would be an RM111 charge for medical checkups for those entering fully residential government schools.

In his posting, Al Khair said that he was informed by the hospital management that the charge was a new government policy.

Until this evening, the post has been shared 969 times, received 1,400 likes and over 2,000 comments.

- Bernama