Ministers working from home
Several leaders observing 14-day quarantine after returning from Sabah
PUTRAJAYA: Home is the office for several ministers over the next two weeks as they observe a mandatory quarantine.
While some have just returned from Sabah where they were campaigning in the state polls, others came into contact with Covid-19 positive individuals.
Among those under quarantine are Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican, whose two Covid-19 swab tests came back negative, has returned to work.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has been working from home since his return from Sabah on Sept 22 despite being tested negative twice for Covid-19.
He came into contact with Barisan Nasional candidate Sufian Abdul Karim, who tested positive for Covid-19.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has been working from home, as is Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, after coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive patient in Langkawi.
On Wednesday, during quarantine, Hishammuddin ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on behalf of the Malaysian government.
A video of him signing the instrument of ratification was aired to guests attending the ceremony in Wisma Putra where the minister was initially scheduled to attend.
Hishammuddin said he had to make sure that his mobile did not leave his hands.
I am constantly in touch with my officers and my phone is my main gadget,” he said when contacted.
His decision to observe the full 14-day quarantine has received the thumbs up from Malaysians.
Twitter user @mraaj89 hoped that other MPs would follow Hishammuddin’s example while @azrolfaizal, who wished the minister well, asked if other Cabinet members were under quarantine as well.
When contacted, Zuraida said her staff would send her the files which she needed to clear every morning and then collect them the next day.
“I will catch up with urgent matters online and through phone calls and text messages,” she said.
Her swab test has come back negative.