Raya: IPT will issue interstate travel permits to students

KUALA LUMPUR: Institutions of higher learning (IPT) will issue letters of consent for inter-district and interstate travel to students, parents or guardians to enable students return to their hometowns for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

Ministry of Higher Education, Higher Education Department, Holistic Student Division director, Dr Mohd Suzeren Md Jamil said students, parents or guardians needed only to show the letter to the security personnel at a roadblock.

''The letter of permission is adequate. Students, parents or guardians need not have to throng police stations to get the letter to return to their villages and then back to campus,'' he said.

He said this when contacted via the Malaysia Petang Ini (MPI) programme broadcast by Bernama TV today.

Mohd Suzeren said students are not allowed to use public transportation to travel home and are only allowed to do so using using their own vehicles, their parents' vehicle, transportation arranged by IPT or by flight.

Earlier, the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) announced that over 100,000 IPT students who are now at their campuses will be allowed to go home for Hari Raya Aidilfitri except for Sarawak.

The movement of students is fixed from May 7 to 12 to travel from campuses to their respective homes while the return journey to the campuses is from May 15 to 20.

Only students in the Movement Control Order (MCO), Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) areas were allowed to go home.

Students in the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) areas must remain in their respective areas.

Meanwhile, Mohd Suzeren said students who were undergoing industrial training (practical) are also allowed to return following the same standard operating procedure (SOP) as they are categorised as student continuing their studies at campus.

In the meantime, he said, students who return to campus, from MCO areas would have to undergo isolation in campus or at their respective accommodations before being allowed to join the learning sessions.

''The exception is for students to Sabah who will be following the current SOP, namely, to undergo a swab test three days before the flight there,'' he said.

In the meantime, Mohd Suzeren hoped the students would use the opportunity to celebrate Raya with their families by complying with the stipulated SOP.

-- BERNAMA