Students stuck on campus due to MCO allowed home to green zones starting April 27, says Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — Students who are stuck in campus will be sent home in stages from next Monday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

This arrangement will be handled by the government and will only apply to students who are returning to green zones.

“This was the decision made this morning during the ministers’ special meeting where Minister of Higher Education Datuk Noraini Ahmad presented the standard operating procedures (SOP) involved in sending the students home.

“The meeting also decided that the travelling time is fixed from 9pm to 9am, to avoid traffic congestion during the day,” he said during his daily briefing with reporters today.

Ismail Sabri added that although students have remained on campus for more than a month and are considered clean and safe, all who wish to return home must undergo a Covid-19 screening before they are allowed to board the bus.

“Students who want to go home must undergo screening before they can board the bus.

“Food and face masks will be provided and social distancing will be practised on the bus.

“For example, only one person is allowed to sit in a two-set row. If the bus is a 40-passenger bus, only 20 passengers will be allowed onboard,” he said.  

Ismail Sabri added that students will be picked up from their accommodation (campus or rented home outside of campus) and will be transported to their nearest police station or district office, after which government officers or frontliners will send them home.

“This is to ensure that they have no chance to go elsewhere but from campus to the police station to be sent home,” he said.

As for students who wish to utilise their own vehicle, they must acquire a police permit and are only allowed to return to their homes within a respective state.

“They are not allowed to travel interstate and only one person is allowed in a vehicle.

“They are not allowed to accommodate passengers,” said Ismail Sabri.  

For those who wish to return to Sabah and Sarawak, the respective state governments will see this process through where students will land at the airport nearest to their homes, he added.

“As earlier stated by both state governments, all who return from peninsula Malaysia must be quarantined for 14 days.

“This includes students who are returning home, unless otherwise stated in their SOP,” he said.

While there are 53,000 students who have opted to go home, about 15 per cent have chosen to remain on campus.

“As for institutions that are located in rural areas, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) will announce a more detailed SOP on their movement process,” he added.

When asked later about students who are located in red zones, Ismail Sabri said they will not be allowed to return home if their residences are located in green zones.

Students who are currently in green zones are also prohibited from returning to their homes in red zones.

“But we are discussing allowing students who wish to return to their family in red zones to be sent to a relative’s home that is located in a green zone nearest to the red zone.

“We are hoping to make this an option,” he said.

Yesterday the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said a “slight relaxation” for those stuck elsewhere to return home during the movement control order (MCO) including students in campus and workers who are trapped in their hometown.

In his special address last night he said the MOHE will detail procedures for students to be allowed to return but subject to screening to ensure they are not infected with Covid-19 before travelling.