Citizens, foreigners entering Malaysia must pay for Covid-19 test, says country's senior minister

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysians and foreigners entering the country will have to pay for the Covid-19 screening test upon their arrival starting from Monday (June 29), senior defence minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

This new ruling however does not apply to people with special needs, civil servants returning home from official matters, and students from abroad.

Mr Ismail said the decision to exempt these three categories from the Covid-19 screening test charges was made during the Special Cabinet Meeting on the Movement Control Order implementation on Monday morning.

"Those with special needs must have the persons with disabilities card issued by the Welfare Department while students must have proof of student identification," he told a press conference in Putrajaya, adding that students would only be exempted from the charges once.

Those from the categories mentioned who had to pay for the test upon arrival earlier on Monday are eligible for a refund, he informed.

"Those who had paid for the screening test this morning, before the announcement was made, can seek a refund from the Health Ministry," he said.

On mandatory quarantine, Mr Ismail said there are 6,927 people who returned home via the Kuala Lumpur International Airpot (Klia).

Out of the total, 6,891 were instructed to be placed under home quarantine while 36 had been brought to the hospital.

On June 28, 318 Malaysians had arrived home via Klia and Klia2 from Indonesia, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, China and Qatar.

All of them had been instructed to be placed under mandatory quarantine at their homes. NEW STRAITS TIMES