KUALA LUMPUR: The government may consider allowing Malaysians who had gone back to their hometowns to return to their respective homes.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the matter was subject to the approval of the National Security Council (NSC) based on the advice from the Health Ministry.
He said the government understands the plight and concern among the people, who have been staying up in their ‘kampung’ for quite some time since the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force on March 18.
“We will look into the pros and cons of the proposal before coming to a decision.
“The government also needs to consult the Health Ministry before we allow Malaysians who are stuck in their hometowns to return to their respective homes,” Ismail Sabri, who is also the Defence Minister, told a press conference today.
Malaysians who wish to return to their respective homes, he said, could register with GerakMalaysia - mobile application jointly developed by the police and the Communications and Multimedia Ministry – beginning this Saturday (April 25).
Those without smartphones or access to the internet can submit their application to return to the capital by visiting the nearest police station.
They, however, are required to make an appointment in order to avoid congestion at the police station.
“Applicants are required to provide details on members of the family who will return to the capital and where their hometown.
“The government wants to know if there are coming from areas categorized Covid-19 red or green zones or so is.
“The details will also enable the government to formulate a standard operation procedure in order to the plan their journey apart from providing us the general idea on the scale of the movement that will take place,” he said.
If the proposal was approved, Ismail Sabri said Malaysians could start leaving their hometown to their respective homes the earliest by May 1.
“I want to stress that the proposal is still in the evaluation phase and there is no guarantee it will be approved since we are still waiting for the details on the scale of the movement involved,” he said.