KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 ― The government will exempt those categorised as handicapped from being charged for hotel stays when undergoing mandatory quarantine for Covid-19.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the National Security Council had decided that only the handicapped would be exempt from paying the 50 per cent rate, while all other groups had to cough up the fee.

"Meanwhile, Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) participants are required to pay the full amount,” he said during his daily press conference here today.

Recently the government announced that all returning Malaysians from abroad who undergo quarantine at hotels would have to pay 50 per cent of the RM150 per night flat rate, while permanent status residents and foreigners would be paying the full price.

Earlier in March, the government enforced a compulsory two-week quarantine for all persons entering the country starting March just before the local Covid-19 outbreak exploded, as part of efforts to tighten border security and contain the deadly coronavirus.

Those isolated were placed in hotels gazetted as quarantine centres and were initially asked to pay a fixed rate of RM150.

The government backpedalled after there was public backlash over the fees.

This amount was since paid in full by the government for a duration of 14 days for Malaysians, while non-Malaysians had to pay for the full cost of accommodation at quarantine centres.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said that 417 Malaysians had returned home yesterday and were currently undergoing quarantine.

A total of 38,512 Malaysian have returned since April 3, of which 30,595 have undergone the compulsory quarantine.