SEREMBAN, April 24 ― The Negri Sembilan government sees no necessity to close the current school session as the Covid-19 cases among students and teachers in the state are still under control.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the Covid-19 infection only affected two schools.

“The public should not panic...everyone should comply with the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOP),’’ he told this to reporters after launching a programme with zakat recipients in the Seremban district today.

The programme, organised by the Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (MAINS), was also attended by its chairman, Datuk Abdul Aziz Sheikh Ab Kadir.

Aminuddin also reminded parents not to send their children who have symptoms or are close contacts with Covid-19 patients to school.

Yesterday, the media reported that Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seremban 2 here, was ordered to close for seven days, since yesterday until April 29, after 17 people were confirmed positive with Covid-19.

Meanwhile, 179 individuals from Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu were placed at the Institut Aminuddin Baki quarantine centre and Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), Nilai,  after three of its staff were confirmed with Covid-19, but the school was not closed.

On the programme today, Aminuddin said MAINS allocated RM152 million to be distributed to eight groups of zakat recipients in the state.

He said, of the amount, RM37 million were for the poor and needy, as well as to be given as aid to mosques and surau statewide.

Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said MAINS had raised the raised the monthly aid for the poor to between RM250 and RM800 based on the “kifayah fakir” rate and between RM250 and RM550 for the “kifayah miskin” rate. ― Bernama