Action against long-term visa, PR pass holders who fail to pay quarantine bill
UPDATED 3.38PM | Added comments on interstate travel for working parents.
CORONAVIRUS | The government has warned that action will be taken against non-citizens who refused to settle hotel and other costs after undergoing mandatory quarantine.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this in reference to long-term social visit pass (LTSVP) holders and permanent residents (PR) with Malaysian spouses or family members who have returned to Malaysia during the movement control order (MCO).
- UPDATED 3.38PM | Added comments on interstate travel for working parents.
CORONAVIRUS | The government has warned that action will be taken against non-citizens who refused to settle hotel and other costs after undergoing mandatory quarantine.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this in reference to long-term social visit pass (LTSVP) holders and permanent residents (PR) with Malaysian spouses or family members who have returned to Malaysia during the movement control order (MCO).
In his daily press conference today, the senior minister said the Immigration Department has been granted permission to take action, including removing any immigration privileges of these non-citizens, pending full payments of the costs.
Only Malaysians and family members with LTSVP and PR are allowed to enter the country during the MCO, but all must undergo 14-day quarantine at government-selected facilities and hotels.
Ismail reminded that the Malaysian government will only bear the cost of quarantine for citizens.
“To date, the government has only borne the cost of the mandatory quarantine for citizens.
“For PR and LTSVP holders who follow their husband, wife or family home and made to undergo quarantine, the cost must be borne by themselves.
“Yet there have been those who have refused to pay the costs when allowed to leave the hotel.
“We have discussed it this morning and the Immigration Department has been given permission to take action, including to remove the privileges they have been enjoying,” he said in the press conference in Putrajaya.
He stressed that this did not mean the government would cancel the PR and long-term passes.
“For example, maybe you would need to renew your pass after every two years, but now, you may need to do so every four or five months [...] until you have paid your defaulted bill.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers will also study the matter to determine if any legal action can be taken,” he added.
As at 8am this morning, there are 231 quarantine centres operating and housing 14,496 individuals.
Of these, 416 are Malaysians who returned from abroad.
Since April 3, 33,807 returning Malaysians have undergone compulsory quarantine, and 26,121 of them have since been allowed to leave the centres.
Interstate travel for working spouses only once weekly
Meanwhile, on the announcement by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that the government was loosening the interstate travel restrictions for parents working in separate states, Ismail said travel would only be permitted once a week for those affected.
Ismail further reiterated that “weekend husbands and wives” seeking to return home to see their families must first seek police approval.
Muhyiddin had on Sunday said applications for travel permission can be made via the Gerak Malaysia app or the nearest police station.
"On interstate travel, I am told there are husband-wife pairs who live apart due to work. For example, a husband is working in Perlis while his wife is in Johor. Due to the interstate travel ban, there are husbands who are unable to meet their wives and children for over two months.
"So the government has decided to give leeway to husbands or wives to travel to meet with their families,” the premier had said.
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