KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said only students from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) are not allowed to return to their hometowns as they need to be tested for Covid-19 after two of its students contracted the virus.

Ismail Sabri said the students will be held at the university temporarily until the tests are completed.

"Despite being quarantined for four weeks at their institution, two of the students who travelled back to Sabah had contracted Covid-19.

"Therefore, we need to test the remaining students in the university. So we will stop sending them back to their hometowns for the moment,” he told a press conference this afternoon.

Yesterday, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that two university students had contracted Covid-19 and he added that the Ministry of Health is investigating the source of the infection.

Separately, Ismail Sabri also said there are still a lot of students who are stranded at their respective universities despite being allowed to return to their hometowns.

"A lot of students haven’t returned to their hometowns, especially those who want to go back to Sabah.

"This is because there are some issues with flights. However, this will be resolved soon,” he said.