KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today decreed that Covid-19 screening tests must be conducted for all flood evacuees housed at temporary relief centres (PPS) to avoid the emergence of new clusters.

His Majesty said the test was necessary to ensure that those infected with Covid-19 be separated from other evacuees, so as to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the Ministry of Health to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

"This (screening test) must be given priority as we don’t want to have a PPS cluster. To the relevant authorities, please take note and do the necessary because this is something that cannot be compromised,” Al-Sultan Abdullah said when visiting 225 flood evacuees at the Wisma Belia PPS here today.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, and their sons - the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah and Tengku Panglima Raja Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim Shah were in attendance.

Al-Sultan Abdullah, who arrived at the PPS in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, which the King drove himself, was welcomed by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak.  

The King also decreed that all quarters involved in flood operations must continue helping the victims, either at home or at the relief centres.

"For the people, especially in remote areas, please follow the instructions if asked to evacuate, and keep your children away from floodwater so as to avoid untoward incidents,” he said.

While expressing sympathy to all flood victims in the country, Al-Sultan Abdullah also called on all Malaysians to pray for the flood situation to improve soon.

Meanwhile, Kuantan Police chief ACP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu, in his briefing to Their Majesties, said 43 relief centres had been opened in Kuantan alone to accommodate 13,642 victims from 351 families and the rescue and evacuation operations were being mounted by 889 personnel from the security forces, as well as the Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Force.

"The evacuees at the relief centres will not be allowed to return home before they were confirmed free of Covid-19,” he said. — Bernama