'Amnesty' offer for undocumented immigrants to get tested for Covid-19 ends, says Ismail Sabri

PUTRAJAYA: The offer of "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants to come forward to get tested for Covid-19 has ended, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"What was announced earlier, which I had myself announced, was an offer for them to come forward for screening and no action would be taken against them.

"However, none came forward and the offer ended," he said during a press conference on Sunday (May 31).

The Senior Minister (Security) said that immigration authorities will carry out operations as normal to trace and detain undocumented immigrants.

"The illegal immigrants will be detained at the detention centres.

"Those who test positive for the virus will be sent for treatment while those who test negative will be deported back.

"This is how we are doing it now," he said.

On March 22, Ismail Sabri gave an assurance that the government had agreed not to look into the legal status of foreigners or take action against them for being in the country without legal status during the Covid-19 screening.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said that there are currently 14,585 persons under surveillance in 187 quarantine centres.

He added that 1,972 Malaysians had returned to the country, bringing the total number of those returning home from abroad to 46,859 since April 3.

Of this, he said that 36,128 Malaysians who had returned from abroad were allowed to go home after undergoing mandatory 14-days quarantine.

On a separate matter, Ismail Sabri warned state football associations not to approve the resumption of matches if the current conditional movement control order (MCO) ends on June 9.

He said discussions are being held with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Health Ministry to determine the measures if and when the local football league is to restart again.

However, he said the respective state football associations could draft up their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the meantime while waiting for a final decision from the government.

He was asked if football matches could resume with no spectators such as what is being proposed for the English Premier League.

The government has eased restrictions for non-contact sports under the conditional MCO such as jogging, badminton and golf.