Foreigners held under MCO do not have valid travel documents – Ismail

PUTRAJAYA: All foreign workers nabbed during the enforcement period of the Movement Control Order (MCO) since March 18 did not have valid travel documents, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the foreigners should have a travel document or i-Kad if they had entered the country legally.

“Those who were arrested have no documents. Employers should not hold the documents but they can issue i-Kad (for their workers).

“The i-Kad is a substitute for the identification documents and if these workers were arrested by the authorities such as immigration officers, they can show their i-Kad.

Then they will not be considered as illegal immigrants,” he told a daily press conference on the Conditional MCO here yesterday.

He, however, admitted that some employers did keep their employees' documents because they were afraid their workers might run away.

Asked on the possible use of wristbands as identification for illegal immigrants who have undergone Covid-19 screening, Ismail Sabri said the Health Ministry did not make this compulsory.

“Illegal immigrants who have been screened for Covid-19 will go straight to detention depots or any places allocated by the government, so they don't have to wear any wristband and the public need not worry.

“For the public or foreigners in peninsular Malaysia, they are only required to show letters from doctors as proof they have been tested negative for Covid19,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said police conducted 149 road blocks and inspected 252,799 vehicles throughout the country on Thursday.

“A total of 434 vehicles which attempted to cross state lines were ordered to turn back, compared to 842 the day before,” he said.

He added that Kedah recorded the most number of interstate travel attempts at 87, followed by Negeri Sembilan with 83 and Malacca, 59. - Bernama