Mohd Redzuan says, Ban on foreigner based on danger to assesment matrix

KUALA LUMPUR, December 2- Restrictions on the entry into Malaysia of foreign nationals shall be made on the basis of a matrix of scoreboard risk assessment that can provide a clear picture of the risk of cases imported by Covid-19 into the country.

Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, Minister in the Department of Prime Minister (Special Functions), said the measures used to calculate the risk include the number of cases of Covid-19, the death rate of one million people in the last 14 days, and the death toll and recovery index.

“These import cases have a big impact on the country because they used Malaysian facilities for treatment when they were actually infected abroad.

“This will disrupt the government’s healthcare services because the country’s main responsibility is to provide the best healthcare services, including Covid-19, to Malaysians and not foreigners entering the country,” he said today at a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

He responded to a question from Dr. Ong Kian Ming (PH-Bangi) who wanted to know why the general ban imposed on all citizens in Covid-19 countries in September had reached 150,000 cases, including those with valid entry permits, such as participants and expatriates in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program.

Mohd Redzuan said the government’s decision at the beginning of September to place restrictions on 23 countries deemed to be high-risk was an urgent move as the government did not have sufficient data on the situation and control methods of the Covid-19 countries at that time.

He said the move was to protect Malaysians, as it was thought that in those countries there would be a rise in cases of Covid-19, as well as a risk of infection.

“They are required to submit an application to the Immigration Department first and to submit supporting documents from the Malaysian Investment Development Board or the relevant ministries/ agencies. They are also subject to the mandatory quarantine order for 14 days at the quarantine station set by the government,” he said.