KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 ― Management boards or committees of apartments and condominiums are permitted to demand tenants to undergo Covid-19 swab tests and provide them with the result, before letting them enter their homes.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that such a rule is allowed in the interest of safety, despite there not being any official government policy on the matter.

"Can. To protect the health of residents, therefore condominium or apartment managements anywhere, can make such a rule. So we do not stop them,” the defence minister said.

"There is no policy from the National Security Council (NSC), saying that whoever wants to enter into their condominium or any residents areas must do a swab test first.

"However we also do not stop the condominium parties or those in any residential areas, in the interest of protecting the health of those in their residential areas, from issuing such an order,” he added.

During the press conference, Ismail was informed that several residential building managements have made such a rule on tenants, especially foreigners, and asked if such practice is permitted.

Last year, a Kuala Lumpur condominium received public backlash after displaying a banner in its premises ordering foreign residents to undergo Covid-19 testing, or risk being barred from its grounds.

Several lawyers polled by Malay Mail then said that joint management committees cannot bar residents from entering their houses, or impose any requirements relating to Covid-19.