KUALA LUMPUR ― Malaysia’s deputy communications and multimedia minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin is the latest Cabinet member to test positive for Covid-19, after three ministers were similarly infected earlier this week.

His office confirmed the matter in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 13).

“Deputy communications and multimedia minister, (Mr) Zahidi Zainul Abidin, has been confirmed to be Covid-19 positive after receiving the results of a preliminary swab test this morning.

“He underwent the Covid-19 screening test upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur from Penang on Jan 11, 2021. He was taken to Sungai Buloh Hospital in Selangor for further treatment according to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia.

“Earlier, on December 25, 2020, he took a Covid-19 swab test and the result was negative.

“(Mr) Zahidi is in a stable condition and apologises for any inconvenience caused,” the statement from his office read.

Home minister Hamzah Zainudin was the latest in a string of Cabinet members to test positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday.

In a statement, the home ministry revealed that Mr Hamzah was screened on Monday, and on Tuesday morning, the MOH revealed that he had tested positive for the virus.

The statement also asked all those who came into close contact with Mr Hamzah from Jan 8 to 11 to present themselves to a district health office for Covid-19 screening.

On Sunday, minister in the prime minister’s department Mustapa Mohamed tested positive for Covid-19.

This was followed by women, family and community development minister Rina Harun who tested positive on Monday.

Both attended a Cabinet meeting on Jan 6 along with Mr Hamzah.

Last October, Islamic affairs minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri tested positive Covid-19, which required several other ministers including the Malaysian prime minister to be quarantined as they had been at a special Cabinet meeting together.MALAY MAIL