KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to lower the charges for those undergoing mandatory quarantine at its public training institutions (PTI) to RM100 daily, down from RM150 previously.
However, the fee for those staying in hotels will remain at the current rate.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made in response to complaints from those being placed under quarantine at PTIs that it was unfair to charge them the same rate as those in hotels considering the lack of facilities.
“As such, we have reviewed the matter, and the special Cabinet meeting on the implementation of the movement control order has agreed to reduce the charges at PTIs to RM100 per day,” he said in a press conference in Parliament, here today.
Ismail Sabri said that considering the limited number PTIs that have been converted into quarantine centres, returnees could only opt to stay in these facilities based on the availability of rooms.
According to the minister, only five of the 63 quarantine centres nationwide are PTIs, the remaining of which are hotels.
On the same note, Ismail said individuals from the same family would also be allowed to share rooms during their mandatory quarantine, with the second and subsequent individuals only required to pay RM50 each for meals and other services.
He added that children below the age of 12 returning from overseas without any guardian would also be subjected to the 14-day quarantine at designated centres.
In such cases, the government has decided not to impose any charges on them, as well as allowing one guardian to accompany the child for free upon their return, for their quarantine stay.
Ismail said for those staying in hotels and wish to upgrade their rooms, they would be allowed to do so, but they would have to bear all costs.
Meanwhile, Ismail said the government has also agreed to exempt individuals from the B40 group, as well as inmates that have just been released from other countries, from paying for their quarantine cost.
“However, they have to provide proof of their family’s income and that they indeed could not afford to pay,” he said.
Previously, only persons with disability cards and students from B40 families are exempted from paying the charges.
