Hishammuddin under quarantine, not joining ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein is unable to attend the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Chongqing, China, tomorrow as well as to make working visits to Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar as he is undergoing quarantine as a close contact of a COVID-19 patient.

A statement from the Malaysian Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) today said Hishammuddin has been deemed a close contact by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to a person who has been found positive after a COVID-19 PCR test.

"Although the foreign minister has undergone two PCR tests which have been found negative, under guidelines prescribed by MOH, the foreign minister is required to undergo compulsory quarantine and self-isolation," the statement said.

Wisma Putra said Hishammuddin will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar as the head of Malaysia's delegation to the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Hishammuddin has also postponed his working visits to Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar to a new set of dates to be determined in consultation with the governments of these countries.

The ministry is working closely with its counterparts in these countries for this purpose, it added.

-- BERNAMA