Batu MP urges govt to bear quarantine cost for M'sians returning from S'pore
Batu MP P Prabakaran has urged the government to bear the full cost of the 14-day mandatory quarantine for Malaysians returning from Singapore as many of them were originally there for work but have lost their jobs.
He added that many Malaysians in the island state were forced to remain there instead of returning as they cannot afford the cost of quarantine...
Batu MP P Prabakaran has urged the government to bear the full cost of the 14-day mandatory quarantine for Malaysians returning from Singapore as many of them were originally there for work but have lost their jobs.
He added that many Malaysians in the island state were forced to remain there instead of returning as they cannot afford the cost of quarantine.
“They are stuck in Singapore. A lot of them have stopped working. Some have been given leave without pay, while others have been fired. The charges (for quarantine) is a burden to many at this moment.
“It is the responsibility of the government of the day to ensure the welfare and health of its citizens. The government must bear all costs related to pandemic diseases. This is a national crisis,” Prabakaran (above) exhorted.
He held a press conference on this matter in front of the Johor Baru Sentral station today and revealed that he had received hundreds of complaints regarding the quarantine issue after he raised it in Parliament.
The government, he said, also needs to be better at coordinating between ministries and agencies. He pointed out that there has been conflicting information about the quarantine being provided by the authorities.
Prabakaran gave the example of the government stating in April that the quarantine cost was RM150 per day for Malaysian citizens and that the government would bear half the amount.
However, he claimed the government recently stated the quarantine cost to be RM350 per day. Even with subsidies from the government, it would still amount to around RM2,000 for the duration of the quarantine.
He urged the government to provide a clearer explanation of this matter.
Beginning July 24, Malaysians and foreigners who entered the country from overseas had to undergo 14 days of compulsory isolation at designated quarantine stations and not at their own homes.
While Malaysians had to bear about half of the cost of quarantine, foreigners were required to pay the full charges.
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