PUTRAJAYA: Interstate travel applications are only for those stranded in their hometowns and wish to return to their homes in the cities, and not vice-versa, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) said today.
“There seems to be some misunderstanding ... those who are in the city cannot go back to their hometown, we have made that clear from the very beginning,” he said during the daily press conference here today.
He said when the Movement Control Order (MCO) order was announced on March 18, many had rushed back to their hometowns, and have been unable to return to their homes in the cities since then.
“So we have asked them to register, but the decision (on permission to travel) has not been made, as we have only allowed them to report to the police via online from April 25, so we can get a clearer picture of how many actually returned (to their hometown) prior to the MCO, and now want to go back to their respective workplaces,“ he said.
According to Ismail Sabri, this is different from the permission granted to students to return home, as their health status has been under continuous monitoring by their respective institutions, while the status of those who returned to their hometowns on their own is still unknown.
He said there were many other things that had to be considered by the Ministry of Health, the National Security Council and the police before allowing people to return to their homes.
“If it is deemed possible, then the Government will come up with a stringent Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on how they will return,“ he said, adding that those who had applied would not be receiving automatic approvals. — Bernama
