KUALA LUMPUR: The government should provide special transportation for students stranded on campus to go home as the movement control order (MCO) is set to entee its third phase come April 15.
In saying this, former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the students who have been on campuses since the start of the MCO on March 18, should be allowed to return in stages.
With the MCO period extended from April 15 to 28, Syed Saddiq said they should also be made to undergo proper screening in line with the Health Ministry's procedures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“I believe the government can implement the move to send these students home, the mission can be done in stages and in specially rented vehicles.
“The government can work with the universities, airline companies as well as local bus services. Members of Parliament and state assemblymen should also get involved in the mission," he said on his Facebook account.
Syed Saddiq also said that the Higher Education Ministry must inform both students and their parents on the latest status of the procedures to return home.
Sharing the same sentiment as the Muar MP is Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS).
The group wants the Higher Education Ministry to allow and assist university students stranded on campus to head home.
Its president Mohd Alif Anas Md Noor said the move should be done as the students had already faced both phases of the MCO, and the risk of them being Covid-19 carriers was unlikely as they have been in quarantine for more than 21 days.
“The process to send the students home should be done by the Higher Education Ministry following the necessary health and safety procedures,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Alif said GPMS welcomed the move to extend the MCO but was of the view it would further burden the universities and ministry which have been bearing the costs to care for the students’ welfare throughout their stay on campus.
“GPSM is grateful over the hard work by the ministry and universities in ensuring the welfare of the students throughout the first and second phase of the MCO such as allocating provisions for the students.
“We would like to suggest to the ministry to assist the students by sending them home. This would also lessen the parents' worry over their children,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Alif also said the ministry can instead focus on an online learning system and restructuring processes post-Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad on her Facebook page said the ministry will be addressing plans to send home students stranded on campus during the special Cabinet meeting on Covid-19 tomorrow morning.