Quarantine order still applies to ministers returning home from abroad - Khairy
25/12/2021 02:25 PM
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 25 -- All ministers who are on holiday abroad and have been ordered to return home immediately are still subject to the quarantine order as stipulated, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
"For now, they must undergo quarantine. It is very important to be vigilant and careful in this matter and this matter (quarantine) still applies," he told a press conference here today.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Cabinet ministers who are on leave and planning to go on holiday had been instructed to cancel their plans until the flood disaster in the country is resolved.
He said all ministers currently abroad have also been ordered to return home immediately.
On the claim that Hulu Langat MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus breached the quarantine order, Khairy said the Ministry of Health (MOH) was investigating the matter.
“He applied for quarantine exemption for a trip between Dec 8 and Dec 12. He went for an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul, Turkey with three other elected representatives.
“That exemption was approved because of the test and release protocol that we have for official travel,” he said.
Khairy said Hasanuddin arrived in Malaysia on Dec 22 and the initial exemption was denied because he was asked to quarantine at home.
The Health Ministry’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) sent an email to Hasanuddin on Dec 20 informing on the approval of the home surveillance order (HSO), he said.
“We are now investigating the case and finding out where he went, from Turkey to Iran and Pakistan and where else he was and why upon receiving the email on HSO on Dec 20, he broke his quarantine,” he added.
Khairy said Hasanuddin would only be fined RM1,000 if found to have violated the home surveillance order.
On measures to control COVID-19 infection among flood victims, Khairy said the MOH was collaborating with various agencies to monitor the level of SOP compliance at relief centres.
“We understand the situation at relief centres makes it difficult for flood victims to comply with the SOP. We have placed health officers at relief centres to monitor and the victims are advised to continue to comply with the SOPs and they are required to wear face masks,” he said.
Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 405 COVID-19 positive cases were detected among flood victims in the affected states.
Following that, Khairy said targeted preventive measures had been carried out, namely by immediately isolating individuals tested positive for COVID-19.
He said the MOH had also established various health facilities in flood-affected areas especially at relief centres.
-- BERNAMA
Hulu Langat MP slammed for posting ski resort pix when his constituency was flooded
THE STAR
Tuesday, 21 Dec 2021
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians are criticising Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus after he shared a picture of his mountain trip on his Facebook account while floods have hit his constituency.
The Hulu Langat MP MP from Parti Amanah Negara has been trying hard to explain himself online but the criticism continues in the comments on his social media page.
On Saturday (Dec 18), Hasanuddin shared a picture of himself garbed in winter clothing at the top of Tochal Iran, a ski resort on the Alborz mountain range in Iran, over 1.5km above sea level.
It triggered many bad reactions almost instantly, with comments such as: “Wrong post at the wrong time, YB;” “We are flooded here in Hulu Langat, YB;” “Aduh...why so insensitive? Look at the situation in the country before posting.”
Hasanuddin has since taken down the picture of him on the mountain and replaced it with pictures of him meeting dignitaries in Iran.
He explained that his working trip was planned earlier and he had been trying to get on a flight to come home after many parts of his constituency were flooded.
Hasanuddin has said that the team in his constituency service centre was hard at work helping flood victims and he was in constant contact with authorities.
Hulu Langat rep cries slander, denies holidaying during floods
Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus says he was in Iran for OIC conference
Hulu Langat rep cries slander, denies holidaying during floods
A photograph of Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (third from right) in Iran, posted on Saturday, which went viral on social media. – Ustaz Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus Facebook pic, December 23, 2021
VIBES
KUALA LUMPUR – Hulu Langat MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus cried slander as he faced fierce criticism accusing him of holidaying during one of the worst floods in his constituency.
Photographs of him in a snowy area in Iran have made their rounds on social media.
According to Hasanuddin’s special officer Abu Bakar Jalal, the lawmaker is keeping tabs on his constituents who have been affected by the floods, and even tried to obtain a flight home as soon as possible.
Abu Bakar told Getaran that his boss was representing Malaysia at the 16th session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member State Conference held on December 9 and 10.
Also present during the visit were Besut MP Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Saari, he added.
MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (left) was not merely vacationing at Tochal Mountain in Iran, according to his special officer. – Screen grab, December 23, 2021
MP Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (left) was not merely vacationing at Tochal Mountain in Iran, according to his special officer. – Screen grab, December 23, 2021
“His work visit to Iran was under his capacity as a member of the West Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group for the Malaysian Parliament.
“Hasanuddin was not merely vacationing at Tochal Mountain in Iran, as he dropped by the tourist spot only after the conference had ended.”
Abu Bakar said Hasanuddin had been invited to attend the conference due to his role as a prominent activist with experience in organising international humanitarian missions.
“When Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister in 2019, Hasanuddin was invited on a follow-up visit by the Parliament of Pakistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry.
“Seeing as how he was also on the Mavi Marmara ship on a humanitarian mission to Gaza, the visit was meant to facilitate discussions on the various issues he had identified over the weeks.”
Abu Bakar also denied allegations that Hulu Langat public service centres were not offering aid to constituents affected by the floods.
“This is false. Hasanuddin had ordered officers at the centres to help those in need.
“We have been offering help since the start of the floods in Hulu Langat. Our team has responded quickly and all our officers have helped supervise the moving of victims to evacuation centres.”
Earlier, Hasanuddin was criticised by netizens when a photo of him at Tochal Mountain, Iran, went viral on social media. – The Vibes, December 23, 2021
