KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim assured Malaysians that his government will not compromise on public health and safety amid fears of a new surge in Covid-19 cases now that top trade partner China has finally lifted its lockdown allowing its citizens to travel abroad.
He said the government is taking extra measures to monitor all incoming travellers from countries with high infection rates.
“The people’s safety and health is always the government’s priority.
“There will be no exceptions when monitoring is done, no countries will be exempted whether it is the US or China.
“The government will place extra emphasis on tourists who are travelling into Malaysia from countries with high infection levels,” Anwar told a press conference in Putrajaya after chairing a federal Cabinet meeting.
He was responding to calls made to the government to disallow tourist from countries like China to enter Malaysia.
“The question of tourism and economic growth will not surpass the importance of controlling and treatment of infections including Covid-19.
“That is why I want to explain that due to many doubts raised as if due to tourism (exemptions were given), no, we have made a very stern decision,” he added.
Anwar also said based on data collected on the number of China travellers to Malaysia, 336,000 in one year (2022), mostly tourists including 56,000 in December, this has not affected the country as claimed.
“From the numbers obtained, we didn’t see a spike in cases,” he said.
He added that there should be no discrimination against any country even though the in China is high as publicised, Covid-19 deaths are high in the US as well, like in a few other countries.
