KUALA LUMPUR: Non-citizens entering Malaysia via the country's international gates from today will have to bear the entire cost of their 14-day mandatory quarantine, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"Non-citizens will have to pay the full charges without the government's subsidy at the rate of RM4,700. (RM2,600 for the operations fixed charges and RM2,100 for the cost of accommodation).
"For the second and third person who are sharing a room with the first individual, the cost of accommodation is RM700 while children, aged six and below can stay for free," said the Senior Defence Minister today.
Ismail Sabri said as for Malaysians, the government has decided to maintain the subsidy for the cost of quarantine.
"They will only have to pay RM2,100 for the cost of accommodation as set earlier, while the cost of operations at RM2,600 will continue to be borne by the government," he said.
Ismail Sabri said from July 24 to Wednesday (Sept 23), a total 33,534 Malaysians have returned from 33 countries and placed in 67 hotels as well as eight premises such as the Public Training Institute to serve the isolation period.
To date, 25,426 individuals have been discharged and allowed to go home.
On a separate matter, Ismail Sabri said police on Wednesday compounded 137 individuals for breaching the Recovery Movement Control Order's (RMCO) Standard Operating Procedures.
Of the number, 111 violators were slapped with compounds while 25 were remanded and one freed on bail.
"Among their offences were involvement in pub and night club activities (39), not practising physical distancing (32), leaving their homes in the Enhanced Movement Control Order area unreasonably (32), suspected to be involved in prostitution activities (14), failure to provide necessary materials to record visitors registration (10), not wearing face masks (6) and premises operating without permission (4)," he said.
He added that the RMCO compliance task force deployed 2,609 teams of 11,940 personnel to inspect 51,673 premises which included supermarkets, restaurants, factories, banks, government offices as well as land, water and air terminals.
The multi enforcement agency Operasi Benteng, tasked to guard the nation's borders, detained 67 illegal foreigners, five boat skippers and three smuglers. Also seized were a boat and 13 land vehicles.
He said the Armed Forces nabbed eight illegal foreigners for not possessing valid travel documents at Ladang Sungai Tengah in Johor.
The police, he said, arrested two illegal foreigners for entering Malaysia via an ungazetted route and did not have proper travel documents at Pengkalan Haram Kebun in Pengkalan Kubor in Kelantan.
A total of 91 Operasi Benteng roadblocks were mounted by the police, the Armed Forces and the Malaysian Border Security Agency.
"The government will take stern action against any party that attempts to cross the country's borders illegally. The enforcement agencies will continue to tighten the areas under the border control, especially at rat lanes," said Ismail Sabri.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's check on 12 daily necessities showed that supplies were sufficient, and able to cope with demands and are easily available.
The ministry's enforcement officers conducted 1,143 checks on the compliance of the RMCO SOPs, where 1,124 premises adhered to the rules while 19 others were given advice as they did not toe the line.
"During the RMCO, the government urges business operators and the people to always practice physical distancing and personal hygiene when going about buying their essential items," he said.