KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — OYO Malaysia announced today that healthcare personnel treating Covid-19 cases can stay for free in the companies’ three partner hotels that lie within a five-kilometre radius of Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Shah Alam Hospital in Selangor and Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban, Negri Sembilan.

The India-based hospitality company said the free rooms will be available from now until April 14 at OYO 188 YP Wangsa Hotel, OYO 882 Hotel Sri Muda Corner, and OYO 89676 Hotel 22 in Seremban.

“Healthcare practitioners from these hospitals can book rooms by contacting the OYO Careline on +6013-3560534, +6012-296 8682, +6016-6960616 and +6014-3819527 between 9am and 6pm everyday.

“Proof of employment in the form of staff IDs are required at check-in,” the company said in a statement.

The company explained that it had identified these hotel partners near the three hospitals due to the large number of cases being treated at these hospitals, and that its offer was in response to many requests on social media and elsewhere from non-governmental organisations and healthcare practitioners for accommodation near hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam and Seremban.

 

 

OYO Hotels & Homes’ Singapore and Malaysia country head Tan Ming Luk said the company’s hotel partners had readily agreed to giving out free hotel rooms for the Covid-19 medical frontliners.

“Our healthcare practitioners, especially those in the frontlines are working tirelessly, round-the-clock to care for patients with Covid-19. While they care for others, OYO and our partners want to care for them.

OYO Hotels & Homes’ Singapore and Malaysia country head Tan Ming Luk said the company’s hotel partners had readily agreed to giving out free hotel rooms for the Covid-19 medical frontliners. — Picture courtesy of OYO Malaysia
OYO Hotels & Homes’ Singapore and Malaysia country head Tan Ming Luk said the company’s hotel partners had readily agreed to giving out free hotel rooms for the Covid-19 medical frontliners. — Picture courtesy of OYO Malaysia

“In that spirit, we went to our partners and asked them to support us to do our part for Malaysia during these unprecedented times and everyone said yes. These are the kind of caring souls we have as partners and I would like to thank them for responding to our call so quickly,” he said in the same statement.

Tan also said that the company hopes that the offer of free hotel rooms would alleviate some of the burden of the medical personnel, by enabling them to rest and refresh themselves at places near the hospitals before continuing their gruelling routine.

“Our healthcare practitioners have been subject to gruelling hours as a result of this pandemic. We hope that by offering clean living spaces near hospitals, travel time can be reduced, especially after a gruelling shift. The safety and well-being of our healthcare practitioners traveling to and from hospitals is just as important and OYO wanted to do our part to ensure that,” he said.

Tan explained however that the offer to the Covid-19 frontliners only covers free hotel rooms as all other hotel services and facilities will stay shut during this period of movement control order, noting that only in-room dining is allowed at hotels with food and beverages outlets.

He said OYO will continue to accept reservations and check-ins only from foreign guests, government agencies’ employees and anyone working in essential services during the movement control order, noting that this was in line with the National Security Council’s advice and the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry’s guidance.

OYO Hotels & Homes’ Singapore and Malaysia country head Tan Ming Luk explained that the offer to the Covid-19 frontliners only covers free hotel rooms as all other hotel services and facilities will stay shut during this period of movement control order. — Picture courtesy of OYO Malaysia
OYO Hotels & Homes’ Singapore and Malaysia country head Tan Ming Luk explained that the offer to the Covid-19 frontliners only covers free hotel rooms as all other hotel services and facilities will stay shut during this period of movement control order. — Picture courtesy of OYO Malaysia

Previously, the ECM Libra Foundation and hotelier Ormond Group said it would provide free accommodation for 30 days for Kuala Lumpur Hospital staff via all 130 rooms at the hospital’s nearest hotel Tune Hotel PWTC with complimentary breakfasts.

The government’s movement control order to slow the spread of Covid-19 was initially set to be in effect from March 18 to March 31, but the order was today extended to April 14.