IPT students may get to go home soon - Muhyiddin

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tonight provided further hope for students of higher learning institutions (IPT) to be allowed home to rejoin their families during Ramadan, now that the Movement Control Order (MCO) has been extended to phase 4.

In announcing the MCO is extended until May 12 in a televised address tonight, the Prime Minister said following the sharp drop in COVID-19 cases, the government planned to relax the regulations a bit.

This included allowing IPT students staying on campus to return to their homes, and for this, a standard operating procedure (SOP) would be announced soon.

“The number of students involved is big, that is almost 100,000. So, we need to plan their movement carefully to ensure it is organised and does not create risks of infection,” he added.

Muhyiddin said the authorities would ensure that all the students were healthy and did not have any COVID-19 symptoms before allowing them to travel.

He pleaded for patience from the students and their parents as the government was doing its best for them to be reunited very soon.

The Prime Minister said the government was also considering to allow a single-trip journey for those who were stuck in their hometowns or other places before phase one of the MCO was enforced.

The government, he added, was gathering data and looking into the best ways to facilitate their journey, including requiring them to register online using a Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) application, GerakMalaysia, or making an appointment with the nearest police station.