KUCHING, Feb 10 — Federal ministers will have to undergo the mandatory two-week quarantine if they visit Sarawak within 14 days of returning from an official overseas trip, state Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said today.

He said they will be treated like any other arrivals in Sarawak whereby they will be quarantined in hotels designated as centres for persons-under-investigation for Covid-19.

"Sarawak’s policy is very clear, applicable to everybody. They have to be quarantined for 14 days in hotels. If they are non-Sarawakians, they have to foot the hotel bill. As for Sarawakians, the state government will pay the bill,” he told reporters after launching a fire safety campaign organised by the state Fire and Rescue Department in collaboration with the Commonwealth Journalists Association here.

He said the state government will also bear the cost of the hotel stay if a non-Sarawakian is married to a Sarawakian.

Dr Sim, who is also the state Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor, was asked to respond to a statement by federal Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba two days ago that federal ministers returning from official duties overseas are now exempted from Section 15 the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) from yesterday until August 1.

Dr Adham had said they would only have to undergo observation for three days or undergo surveillance until be discharged without danger to the public.

Section 15 of Act 342 pertains to observation or surveillance of contacts and that an authorised officer may order any contact to undergo observation in such place and for such period as he may think fit, or to undergo surveillance until he may be discharged without danger to the public.

Dr Sim said the federal government has to respect the Sarawak government’s policy of placing any arriving non-Sarawakians, including federal ministers, in quarantine.

He said this was because the state has autonomy over immigration.

"This is not a new policy or change in policy,” he said, adding that it has always been in place.