Malaysian Man Forced To Quarantine At A 4-Star Hotel Despite Testing Negative For Covid
A Malaysian man took to Facebook to share his recent experience of being forced to quarantine in Malaysia despite having negative Covid test results.
Source: Facebook, Malaysia-Singapore Border Crossers(MSBC) 马新过境者
In the video, the man mentioned that he tested positive on March 1 in Singapore.
After 7 days, he was tested negative. He didn’t mention that he was quarantined during the period of 7 days in Singapore. Prior to entering Malaysia, he retrieved a recovery letter from Singapore’s Ministry of Health as proof that he had recovered from Covid.
On March 11, he went to a local clinic in Singapore to do a pre-departure ART test which showed that he was negative for Covid.
Upon arrival in Malaysia, he was asked to do an RTK test (ART equivalent). He paid RM 60 to do the test and was made to wait for 2 hours for the result. He also mentioned that his passport was retained by the staff.
He was shocked when the Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) staff told him that he tested positive for Covid and had to be quarantined.
He then requested to see his ART kit as proof to show that he tested positive but his request was denied. He was even willing to pay for one more ART but it was to be done in front of him, just to be sure that he tested positive despite having recovered from Covid on March 7. The KKM staff allegedly became defensive, saying that the man was challenging the authorities.
Despite the various documents he showed the staff, he was not given a choice and then sent to a quarantine hotel, Millesime, at Iskandar Putri.
Prior to being ferried there by van, he even showed the KKM staff the Home Surveillance Order letter from the Malaysian Home Ministry.
The staff,however, told him that the letter was not valid and he needed to be quarantined in the hotel.
Upon arrival at the hotel, he called his wife and sisters, asking them to send him ART kits.
He tested himself in front of the camera and the result was negative.
His intention of making the video was to understand why he was made to do a mandatory quarantine despite testing negative.
Netizens were sympathetic and called out the various government bodies to answer.
One even went to tag Khairy Jamaluddin, the health minister of Malaysia.
One said that the Covid tests done in Singapore are better and should be sufficient proof that he had recovered.
Others speculated that it could be a money making scheme between the hotel, customs and KKM staff.
One woman shared a similar experience that she went through with her family.
The man had various documents to prove that he was Covid free. Under the new regulations, quarantine is only necessary for those who are unvaccinated.
Vaccinated individuals can go through a home quarantine if they fulfill the criteria stated below.
Source: MOH Malaysia
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals must go through a mandatory 5 day quarantine from April 1.
Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/03/09/unvaccinated-travellers-entering-country-must-undergo-5-days-quarantine-says-kj
Let’s hope that he gets his answers soon.
Reporter’s Opinions: If he was unvaccinated, then it makes sense for him to serve quarantine as per regulations. But if he’s already vaccinated, then it is a cause for concern because fully vaccinated individuals don’t need to go through quarantine.
Source: KPMG
Saying that he is Covid positive when he’s not, that is also troubling because the staff are lying to him. Especially when the customs already confirmed on the slip of paper that he is not Covid positive. It makes no sense to hide the ART results from him because that is transparency. You only hide when you’re up to no good.
The corruption allegations are rife in the comments section. He’s trying to visit his family and has to go through this whole ordeal. Hotel quarantine is not cheap.
Hopefully the authorities can help him.
Listen to Plan B’s Podcast this week!