B40, OKU can apply for quarantine fee exemption, reduction - Ismail Sabri

He said although the government had set the quarantine cost, the MOH has the power to reduce fees and exempt payments under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

“B40, OKU, B40 students and certain cases can also apply… cases such as having been sacked will surely face financial problems, so we understand and that’s why they can appeal.

“I ask that all those affected to appeal to the MOH… please write an official letter applying for either fee exemption or reduction,” he told a media conference on the development of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) today.

Ismail Sabri said this when commenting on a video, which has gone viral, of Malaysians in Singapore raising the issue of the burdensome quarantine costs as well as obstacles to return to Malaysia by their employers in Singapore.

Commenting on issues of individuals who are unable to get permission from their employers in Singapore to return to Malaysia, he said the Foreign Ministry would be notified so that it could hold discussions with its Singapore counterpart.

Previously, Ismail Sabri had announced that Malaysians in Singapore were never prevented from returning home and were required to make an application through the Malaysian Immigration Department for matters regarding entry and exit throughout the RMCO period.

Meanwhile, he explained that the reason for implementing the work from home order was to reduce the movement of people in an effort to break the chain of COVID-19 infection in the country.

“So, when we reduce movement, perhaps we will be more successful in terms of breaking the COVID-19 chain as there will be fewer people interacting with one another.

“That's why when people ask why we do not allow more than two people in a car (regardless of the car size), it’s because we want to reduce the number of individuals everywhere,” he said.

Ismail Sabri also advised employers to be responsible in issuing release letters to their employees who need to cross districts to go to work.