M'sia to bring back certain Wisma Putra, govt agency staff from China

BENTONG (Bernama): The government has agreed to bring back certain home-based staff of Wisma Putra and other government agencies located in China, along with their wives and dependents, following the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) there.

Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah on Wednesday (Feb 5) said they would be taken home by commercial flights in stages as soon as possible, which would hopefully be implemented next week, depending on the flights still available.

Besides the embassy office in Beijing, Saifudin said Malaysia also had consulates in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kunming, Nanning, Shanghai and Xi'an, other than Taipei, with a total 34 Wisma Putra officials and 77 dependents.

Meanwhile, the number of government agency officers in China such as the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and Tourism Malaysia stood at 52 people with 135 dependents.

"From that figure, we will evaluate how many people (officers) need to stay and how many will be taken home as we will only leave behind the number of employees either from Wisma Putra or the agencies that are really needed right now.

"For couples and children, we intend to bring them home as soon as possible.

"This will not affect the work there because some tasks could not be done because of city lockdowns... what is under consideration is who will be taken home," said Saifuddin at a press conference after attending the Unity @ Community Programme in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations in Kampung Batu Satu here.

It was also attended by Bentong MP Wong Tack and Pahang Information director Mohd Salmun Mustafa.

The minister said, besides the safety factor, the decision to take them home was made because it was possible there could be food supply shortage if the situation persisted. However, so far, supply was adequate and the government would also be sending food there.

"Those who are brought home have to go through the same process as those prior to this, namely, the screening process in China before boarding the plane and once again being screened and quarantined in Malaysia," he said.

Commenting on the 34 Malaysians who were still in Wuhan because they could not board the plane on Tuesday for logistical reasons, Saifuddin said priority would be given to bring them home, and Wisma Putra had been in touch with Malaysian representatives there.

Asked if there were any plans to bring back Malaysians from other parts of China, Saifuddin said the matter would be discussed later due to the large number (more than 30,000 people), including those who now could not move freely. – Bernama