Govt to study when foreign maids can return to Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA: Foreigners employed in Malaysia, including domestic helpers, cannot return to the country yet but the government has given its assurance that it will look into this, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Regulations are slowly being relaxed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic but it needs to be done in stages.

“For now, we are not allowing this. We will discuss this and when the time comes they can return to work here. It is not that we are stopping people from coming to Malaysia forever but we need to do things slowly and in stages,” he said.

Ismail Sabri added that the country has not allowed foreigners employed in most sectors, including maids to come in, particularly those from high-risk countries.

Recently, the government allowed expatriates in the Employment Pass (EP) 1 category as well as holders of professional visit, resident and talent passes and those holding senior management posts in companies in Malaysia to enter the country. However, the permission is only for those from green-zone countries.

On another issue, the minister said that shipping crews could pass through the country either to board ships they were assigned to or to go to the airport once their task is done.

“The permission is only for a direct trip from the airport to the port to board the ship or from the ship straight to the airport to return home. However, they cannot make a detour and stay in a hotel for a few days or go to a mall,” he said.

Ismail Sabri also said there were no reports on Malaysians returning from abroad violating their home quarantine order.

“We have not received any negative reports on those observing home quarantine. I was made to understand that the police and Health Ministry officials conduct spot checks on them. So far, the returnees have complied,” he said.

The government has now allowed Malaysians returning from overseas to be quarantined at home for 14 days instead of at gazetted facilities.

From June 10 to 23, a total of 5,093 Malaysians returned via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Of the figure, 5,067 individuals were ordered to be quarantined at home while 26 people who tested positive for Covid-19 were sent to hospital.